CG officials discuss National Search and Rescue Plan

The annual meeting, chaired by Coast Guard Director General M P Muralidharan, discussed formulating guidelines and procedures and considering recommendations on updating the National Search and Rescue Plan, a Coast Guard release said.

All 13 coastal states and Union territories were represented at the meeting, besides participation from 15 other organisations, it said.

NMSAR Board awarded MSV Safeena of the Andaman Islands under the Indian Coast Guard Search and Rescue Award for Merchant Vessel category for saving nine lives.

A fishing boat 'Seven Star' from Colachel in Tamil Nadu secured the Indian Coast Guard SAR Award for fishermen category for saving four foreign nationals.

Coast Guard Air Squadron 842 Sqn (CG), Mumbai was awarded the Essar SAR Award for government-owned SAR unit for saving 15 lives from a sinking ship, it said.

In the last one year, Coast Guard has saved 464 lives, 207 on its own while the rest with the help of fishermen, merchant mariners and other resource agencies.