Indian Navy ship continues to provide potable water to Maldives

Continuing efforts to help Maldives which is facing a crisis after a fire at its sole water desalination plant, an Indian Navy ship Saturday supplied 15 tonnes of fresh water to Male.

INS Sukanya, an offshore patrol vessel which reached Male Friday evening, had transferred around 25 tonnes of fresh water to water tankers and water tanks positioned on the jetty by the Maldivian authorities.

Thereafter the ship moved to anchorage and produced another 15 tonnes of fresh water Saturday.

"This fresh water would be transferred ashore by water barges arranged by Maldivian authorities and subsequently to water tankers etc on the jetty," said a navy statement.

Sukanya, on routine patrol off Kochi, was diverted to reach Male at the earliest to render necessary assistance and all the possible help to Maldivian authorities. The ship has has two Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants onboard which have a capacity of producing 20 tonnes of fresh water daily.

Meanwhile, another Indian Naval tanker INS Deepak, which sailed from Mumbai Friday with 800 tonnes of fresh water, is scheduled to reach Male Sunday.

Navy officials said the second vessel would transfer the fresh water on to the water barges at anchorage and then start producing fresh water.

"The ship is capable of producing 100 tonnes of fresh water by the Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants fitted on board," Navy officials said.

A major fire broke out at the Male Water and Sewerage Company (MWSC) generator control panel Thursday, causing extensive damage to the cabling of the generator to the Distillation plants and disconnection of water supply.