The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued nine crew members of the Indian vessel Taj Dhare Haram after it sank in the northern Arabian Sea on Thursday. The mission was carried out in coordination with Pakistan’s maritime agencies, underscoring a rare instance of international cooperation in the region.
“This daring humanitarian search and rescue operation, conducted under challenging sea conditions, involved close collaboration between the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) of Mumbai, India, and Karachi, Pakistan,” the ICG said in an official statement.
The mechanized sailing vessel had departed from Mundra, Gujarat, en route to Socotra, Yemen. It sank after taking on water during rough seas. A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft on a routine surveillance mission intercepted a distress signal, immediately relaying the information to MRCC Mumbai and the ICG Regional Headquarters (North West) in Gandhinagar.
In response, the ICGS Shoor, on forward area patrol, was swiftly redirected to the location. The ICG also alerted MRCC Pakistan to notify mariners in the area of the emergency.
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) December 26, 2024
The nine crew members, who had abandoned the sinking vessel and taken shelter in a small life raft, were located and rescued approximately 311 kilometres west of Porbandar, in Pakistan’s search-and-rescue zone.
This operation follows another significant rescue mission weeks earlier when the ICG saved 12 seafarers stranded in the northern Arabian Sea after their vessel sank. That mission also involved support from the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), highlighting continued cooperation between the two nations in humanitarian efforts at sea.
Team BharatShakti
