Indian Coast Guard Launches Rescue Operation For 6 Crew On Stranded Bulk Carrier

The Indian Coast Guard launched a rescue operation on Thursday, October 29, for six crew members aboard Sigma Pearl, a Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier stranded near the Ravva oilfield off Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, after an engine failure reportedly linked to Cyclone Arnab.

The Coast Guard deployed a helicopter and vessels to reach the ship. Its Offshore Patrol Vessel ‘Sujay’ was also sent towards the stranded carrier.

The ship was returning to Singapore after unloading cargo at Visakhapatnam port. Rescue personnel were operating from a helipad at Mogalthur village in West Godavari district, with local authorities helping the Coast Guard.

Sigma Pearl, carrying six crew members aboard, lost engine power while navigating the Ravva oilfield in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) Basin. The failure was suspected to have occurred under the impact of Cyclone Arnab in the Bay of Bengal.

The vessel left Visakhapatnam port at around 12.17 am on October 27, after unloading its cargo. It was heading back to Singapore as the cyclone approached Yanam, before making landfall along the Andhra Pradesh coast early on October 28.

MarineTraffic, a vessel-tracking platform, showed the ship’s status as “Vessel is out of range” two days before the rescue operation. Its last recorded movement was along its planned route.

Very severe cyclonic storm Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast in the early hours of October 28, bringing sustained winds of 125–135 kmph and gusts of up to 150 kmph.

According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the landfall process lasted about six hours, until 8 am. The storm weakened into a severe cyclonic storm after crossing the coast.

The cyclone killed four people and caused widespread damage in coastal districts. Thousands of trees and electricity poles were uprooted, and crops were damaged.

Local authorities in West Godavari district are assisting the Coast Guard with the rescue operation. The latest information does not confirm whether the six crew members have been evacuated or when Sigma Pearl will resume its journey to Singapore.

References: telanganatoday, deccanherald