Boosting maritime surveillance capability of the Coast Guard, a new hovercraft was today inducted into the Haldia base of the coastal force, officials said.
The Rs 16-crore craft, also known as an air-cushion vehicle, will be deployed for close coast surveillance of West Bengal coast, interdiction, search and rescue and rendering assistance to fishermen in distress.
Hovercraft H-193, designed and built by UK's Griffon Hoverworks is 21 metres long, has a displacement of 31 tonnes and is capable of achieving speed in excess of 45 knots.
The craft is ideally suited for undertaking shallow water operation and will further enhance the operational capabilities of the Indian Coast Guard, officials said.
Commanded by Commandant Sailesh Gupta, the hovercraft has a crew of two officers and 12 enrolled personnel and will be based at Haldia under the Administrative and Operational Control of the Commander Coast Guard Region (North-East).
With its latest addition, the year-old Coast Guard Region (NE) that was raised on December 10, 2012, now has four hovercraft capable of operating in tandem from Hazira, the first hovercraft port in India.
Aimed at developing infrastructure to sustain operations in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 1.5 lakh square kilometres along the 740-kilometre coastline in the region, the force continues to acquire additional aircraft and vessels adding teeth to its capability.
