Two British-built hovercrafts give teeth to coastal security

Coastal security got more muscle with the commissioning of two British-built Air Cushion Vehicles (ACVs), or hovercrafts by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) here Monday, an official said.

Maharashtra Governor K. Sankaranarayanan launched the ACVs, H-192 and H-194, at a function in the Naval Dockyard here.

The governor said the ill-fated incidents of 26/11 terror attacks were "an eye-opener" for the nation, bringing into sharp focus the issue of coastal and maritime security.

"I hope the addition of ACVs to the ICG will strengthen Mumbai's maritime and coastal security," Sankaranarayan said on the commissioning in the presence of Vice-Admiral Shekhar Singh, IG-ICG S.P.S. Basra and other top officials.

The ACVs are 21 metre-long and capable of swift deployment with a maximum speed of 45 knots.

Each craft, capable of carrying 13 crew, can undertake multifarious tasks like surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue, rendering assistants to small boats and fishermen in distress on the high seas.

Manufactured by Messrs. Griffon Hovercraft Lft, Britain, both the hovercrafts shall be based in Mumbai under the charge of commandants S.B. Nair and Sandeep Safaya.