Page 3 - Indian Coast Guard

Coast Guard chopper crash: Bodies of 2 crewmen found, search on for 3rd

Of the three crew members who went missing after an Indian Coast Guard (ICG) helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea off Gujarat coast, the bodies of its pilot and a diver have been recovered while search for the third one is still on, officials said on Wednesday. The bodies of Commandant Vipin Babu and diver Karan Singh were recovered on Tuesday night while search is still on to trace another pilot, Rakesh Rana, said Coast Guard spokesperson, Amit Uniyal. "Of the total four crew members on board the ICG's advanced light helicopter (ALH), diver Gautam Kumar was rescued soon after the incident while a search was on for three others - one pilot and two divers. On Tuesday night, the bodies of pilot Vipin Babu and diver Karan Singh were recovered," he said. "Another pilot, Rakesh Rana, is still missing. We have deployed four ships and an aircraft to locate him. Wreckage of the helicopter has been found," he added. The incident occurred on Monday night after the ICG launched an operatio

Three Coast Guard crew missing after helicopter crashes off Gujarat coast

One crew member was rescued, but three are still missing after the helicopter crashed into the Arabian Sea off Porbandar on Monday, while on a rescue mission

Coast Guard gets Rs 2,500-crore vessel to fight pollution: Union minister

A Rs 2,500-crore pollution control vessel built by Goa Shipyard Limited for the Indian Coast Guard was launched on Thursday, with Union minister Sanjay Seth asserting that it would be an asset for the maritime security agency. The Union Minister of State for Defence launched the newly built Pollution Control Vessel, GSL Yard 1267, for the Indian Coast Guard in a ceremony held at Vasco in Goa. This ship is 72 per cent atmanirbhar' and has the capability to fight coastal pollution, Seth told reporters. The Union minister said the ship will be an asset for the Indian Coast Guard, which patrols our shores to keep them safe from unwanted elements. Seth said that during his last 85 days as minister of state for defence, he spent much time learning about our forces. After learning about our forces, I can say that the Indian defence sector is robust, he said. He called the launch of the pollution control vehicle a significant step forward in the efforts to protect the country's marine ...

Indian Coast Guard D-G Rakesh Pal dies due to cardiac arrest in Chennai

Director General of Indian Coast Guard Rakesh Pal, who played a key role in boosting his force's operational prowess, died at a hospital in Chennai on Sunday following a cardiac arrest, officials said. Pal had taken charge as the 25th Indian Coast Guard (ICG) chief on July 19 last year. The officer, who was to attend an ICG event along with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi General Hospital (RGGH) after he complained of chest pain. "Deeply saddened at the untimely demise of Shri Rakesh Pal, DG, Indian Coast Guard in Chennai today," the defence minister said on 'X'. "He was an able and committed officer under whose leadership ICG was making big strides in strengthening India's maritime security. My heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family," he said. Singh also visited the hospital where he paid respects to Pal. The officer, who was an ardent music lover and an avid sports enthusiast, hailed from Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by wife Dipa Pal and two

Fire on ship off Goa coast under control, says ICG official; 1 member dead

The fire that broke out on July 19 on a merchant navy ship off the coast of Goa is under control, a senior Indian Coast Guard official said on Sunday, adding one crew member had died in the blaze. MV Maersk Frankfurt, carrying 1,154 containers, including some with dangerous cargo like benzene and sodium cyanate, had caught fire some 102 nautical miles off the coast of Goa while on its way from Mundra in Gujarat to Colombo in Sri Lanka. Dry chemical powder that was spread through helicopters on Saturday helped to a large extent in controlling the fire, ICG Deputy Inspector General Manoj Bhatia told PTI. There is no fire in the portion in which the dangerous cargo is stocked, the ICG deputy inspector general asserted. "The firefighting operation is still on. The fire is under control. I would not say it is fully doused. Four ships are already in the area and also helicopters are taking regular sorties. The ICG spread dry chemical powder through helicopters on Saturday, which has ...

ICG apprehends fishing vessel near Mumbai coast; Rs 1.75 lakh cash seized

The Indian Coast Guard has apprehended a fishing vessel, with four crew members onboard, off the coast of Mumbai, and also confiscated a sum of Rs 1.75 lakh in unaccounted cash, the defence ministry said in a statement on Monday. It apprehended fishing vessel 'Aai Tuljai', about 27 nautical miles southwest of Mumbai on May 12. "An ICG Fast Patrol Vessel and an Interceptor Boat apprehended the suspected vessel involved in illegal diesel smuggling," the statement said. After a thorough search of the vessel, a cache of "approximately 30,000 litres of illicit diesel, with an estimated value of Rs 30 lakh", concealed within its fish holds was seized, it said, adding, "a sum of Rs 1.75 lakh in unaccounted cash was confiscated". Interrogation of the arrested crew revealed their intent to peddle their illegal wares to unsuspecting fishermen, the ministry said. The apprehended vessel was escorted by ICG Interceptor Boat to the Mumbai harbour, where it was handed over to the authorities of

Coast Guard, Hindalco ink MoU for manufacturing marine-grade aluminum

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and a leading industry group have joined hands for manufacturing and supply of indigenous marine-grade aluminium to the country's public and private shipyards for the construction of ships, the defence ministry said on Friday. In a statement, it said ICG and Hindalco Industries inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) here on Thursday. The MoU is for the manufacturing and supply of indigenous marine-grade aluminium to Indian public and private shipyards for the construction of ships. "It will also provide benefits such as quarterly pricing, priority in supplies and turnover discount," the statement added. The ICG fleet is presently operating 67 ships with aluminium hulls with the capability of operating in shallow waters. To further boost coastal security, it has planned to induct more such vessels where the indigenously manufactured marine-grade aluminium will be utilised, the ministry said. The MoU was signed in the presence of senior officials of t

Indian Coast Guard detains Iranian fishing vessel with 6 Indian crew

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has detained an Iranian fishing vessel with six Indian crew off the coast of Kerala, the defence ministry said on Monday. The vessel was detained on Sunday following a swift "sea-air" coordinated operation by the ICG, it said. The ministry said the crew alleged that the "Iranian sponsor" of the vessel ill-treated and deprived them of basic living conditions and confiscated their passports. Initial investigation revealed that the owner of the boat was an Iranian national who had contracted the Indian fishermen from Tamil Nadu, it said. "The Indian Coast Guard detained an Iranian fishing vessel, with six Indian crew, west of Beypore off the coast of Kerala late on May 5. The swift sea-air coordinated operation involved the ships and aircraft of the ICG," the ministry said in a statement. "After intercepting the boat, an ICG team boarded the vessel and thoroughly investigated it to check the involvement of any anti-national activity," it said. "Initial .

Cooch Behar visit violates model code: ECI cautions Bengal governor

The Election Commission has advised the West Bengal governor to call off his proposed tour of Cooch Behar on the eve of the Lok Sabha polls' first phase as it was violative of the Model Code of Conduct, sources said on Wednesday. Polling is scheduled in Cooch Behar on April 19 and the 48-hour silence period when campaigning is barred begins on Wednesday evening. Having come to know of the proposed tour of West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on April 18 and 19 to Cooch Behar, where polling is scheduled on April 19 and silence period is starting from this evening, the Election Commission (EC) has advised that the proposed tour may not be undertaken, the sources said. Under the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), no local programme can be organised for the governor as proposed in his issued programme, the EC noted in its communication to the office of the governor. The commission has also noted that the entire district administration and police force will be occupied in election management

ICG ship makes port call in Vietnam on overseas deployment to Asean nations

Indian Coast Guard ship Samudra Paheredar, a specialised Pollution Control Vessel, on Tuesday made a port call at Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam as part of its ongoing overseas deployment to theEAN countries, officials said. This deployment is a testimony to the ICG's commitment to "bolster bilateral relationships" and "enhance international cooperation" with friendly countries, the Defence Ministry said in a statement. "The deployment of Samudra Paheredar to theEAN region reflects India's shared concern and resolve towards marine pollution, promoting safety and security through maritime cooperation. Prior to Ho Chi Minh, the vessel had visited Manila, Philippines, to demonstrate a seamless continuation of diplomatic maritime engagements in theEAN region," it said. The ship is equipped with specialised marine pollution control equipment and a Chetak Helicopter in pollution response configuration, designed to contain and recover spilled oil and augment the operation. The ICG ship is on an .

ICG rebased at northern, southern flanks of Andaman and Nicobar Islands

Two Indian Coast Guard ships have been rebased at northern and southern flanks of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands at Diglipur and Campbell Bay respectively."In a major boost to maritime security in Andaman & Nicobar islands, @IndiaCoastGuard ships Rajtarang & Rajkiran have been rebased at northern & southern flanks of Islands at Diglipur & Campbell Bay respectively," the Indian Coast Gurad said in a post on 'X'."The rebasing will ensure enhanced coastal security, #MaritimeLawEnforcement, EEZ surveillance, search & rescue, pollution response, & swift response to maritime contingencies," it added.Meanwhile, the Indian Coast Guard has strategically based additional hovercraft at Jakhau, close to the Indo-Pakistan maritime frontier and a capital ship at Vadinar in the Gulf of Kutch, according to an official statement issued on Monday.ICGS Samudra Pavak, a specialised Marine Pollution Control Vessel, will now operate from the new Coast Guard Jetty at ...

Coast Guard rescues eight people from sunken boat off Lakshadweep coast

The Indian Coast Guard said on Tuesday that it has successfully rescued eight persons from a "sunken boat" in the waters off the Lakshadweep coast. According to a statement from a Defence PRO on social media, the boat experienced a technical malfunction while on a routine inter-island voyage from Agatti island to Androth. This malfunction caused the boat to drift, remaining untraceable for a duration of three days. "The @IndiaCoastGuard has successfully carried out the rescue operation of 08 survivors from the sunken boat #MSVVararthaRajan (CLR 192)", the PRO said in a post on 'X'. "As the boat had been overdue for over 72 hours, the #ICG promptly initiated an air-sea coordinated rescue operation on #18Mar24. With exceptional efficiency, all survivors of the sunken boat were swiftly located & safely rescued by the crew of #ICGSSaksham," it said. The PRO further said following an initial medical examination, the eight persons are now being handed over to the fisheries department.

Coast Guard apprehends Pak boat with narcotics worth Rs 480 crore

In a sea-air coordinated operation, narcotics worth Rs 480 crore were seized from a Pakistani boat with six crew in the Arabian Sea near Porbandar by a multi-agency team led by the Indian Coast Guard, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and Gujarat Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) coordinated with the Coast Guard in the operation in the intervening nights of March 11 and 12, it said. The Indian Coast Guard (ICG), based on intelligence inputs, apprehended a Pakistani boat with six crew members and narcotics onboard, the ministry said in a statement. "The boat was apprehended about 350 km from Porbandar into Arabian Sea in a sea-air coordinated operation involving Indian Coast Guard ships and Dornier aircraft," it said. The ministry said the operation exhibited well-coordinated efforts between ICG, NCB and ATS Gujarat. It said the Indian Coast Guard, on specific intelligence input from agencies, strategically positioned its ships in the Arabian Sea on

'Women can't be left out': SC on permanent commission in Coast Guard

The Supreme Court has asked the Centre to come up with a gender-neutral policy on the issue

Coast Guard, marine engine maker discuss steps to strengthen Make in India

The Indian Coast Guard has persistently aimed at the indigenisation of spares for foreign-origin equipment installed onboard ICG ships in partnership with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM)

Coast Guard ship conducts demonstration of pollution response at sea

With 152 ships and 78 aircraft in its arsenal, the ICG is on track to achieve its targeted force levels of 200 surface platforms and 100 aircraft by 2030

Indian Coast Guard ship rescues man who fell into sea off Mumbai coast

According to the ICG official, the rescue operation lasted about three hours

Maldives seeks info over Indian coast guard activities within its territory

The Maldives' government has formally requested the Indian government to provide "comprehensive details" of an incident in which its coast guard personnel allegedly boarded three Maldivian fishing vessels operating within its economic zone. The development is the latest in the diplomatic row between the two nations that led to the strain in bilateral ties after President Mohamed Muizzu, widely seen as a pro-China leader, came to power in November last year in the Maldives. There was no immediate response from the Indian government to the Maldivian allegations. On January 31, the Indian Army intercepted a Maldivian fishing boat engaged in fishing activities within the Maldives' Special Economic Zone (EEZ), located 72 nautical miles northeast of Dhidhdhoo, Haa Alifu Atoll, the Maldives' defence ministry claimed in a statement on Friday. It said that the Indian troops boarded three fishing boats within the Maldives EEZ without prior consultation with relevant authorities, thereby ...

Indian Coast Guard Day 2024: Theme, History, Importance & Other Details

On February 1, Indian Coast Guard Day is observed. The day aims to honour the commitment of the Coast Guard and is devoted to the officials and personnel who care for India's maritime security

Coast Guard to celebrate growth in role, power on 48th Raising Day

The force maintains order in international shipping lanes, India's vast seas and 7,500-km shoreline