Braving strong winds and inclement weather conditions, the Indian Coast Guard with assistance of the Coastal Security Police and local swimmers on Sunday rescued all the 27 members of IBIS barge that was stranded in the sea near Ullal Coast in Dakshina Kannada after hitting a reef on Saturday.
The Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Amartya had rescued four IBIS crew members on Saturday night and suspended operations following poor light and strong winds. The rescue operations resumed at 5.45 a.m. on Sunday and the remaining 23 crew members were rescued at 9 a.m. All the 27 crew members sailed to the New Mangalore Port Trust at 10.30 a.m.
Deputy Inspector-General and Commander, Coast Guards Karnataka, S.S. Dasila commended the district administration and the police for standing by the force in the rescue operation.
Food and Civil Supplies Minister U.T. Khader, who oversaw the operation on Sunday, said that an inquiry would be conducted to know why the barge was operating when the district administration had banned sea operations during monsoon.
