Unmanned Tanker Runs Aground Off Mumbai Amidst Rough Weather Conditions

A Nicaragua-flagged tanker, the MT Al Jafzia, ran aground off Manori beach, Mumbai, when its anchor chain broke amidst rough weather.

The Indian Coast Guard deployed the emergency towing vessel Water Lily to refloat the unmanned tanker and prevent it from further drifting.

Another vessel, MT Stellar Ruby, was also dragged towards the shore by powerful winds and waves.

Inspector General (West) Bhisham Sharma of the Indian Coast Guard said that Coast Guard ships Samudra Prahari and Samrat are monitoring the situation.

An officer from the Directorate General of Maritime Administration said that rough weather complicated the rescue, and even air surveillance could not be carried out due to poor visibility.

The vessels are among three ships that were intercepted by the Coast Guard in February on charges of fuel theft and involvement in the smuggling of Iranian bitumen.

Investigators said that MT Al Jafzia, MT Asphalt Star and MT Stellar Ruby carried out illegal ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian bitumen and fuel after turning off their transponders despite Western sanctions.

The Indian Coast Guard seized the vessels and registered cases against the shipowners under the Customs Act, Petroleum Act, Essential Commodities Act, Information Technology Act and relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The shipowners had approached the Bombay High Court.

In May, the court ordered that MT Al Jafzia should be moved to the Alang ship-breaking yard in Gujarat, while MT Asphalt Star and MT Stellar Ruby continue to be under custody as the investigation remains underway.