Mumbai: Continuing with the Cyclone Ockhi rescue operations, a Coast Guard ship on Tuesday located 15 boats off Lakshadweep and provided assistance to 184 fishermen on board. “ ICGS Samrat , on reaching the indicated position in the morning, located 15 fishing boats with 14 belonging to Tamil Nadu and one to Kerala,” a Coast Guard statement said.
It added that as Ockhi weakened over the sea, Coast Guard ships and aircraft continued with efforts to locate and help to stranded fishermen. “A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft sighted a cluster of fishing boats near Lakshadweep Islands. The Samrat was diverted to help the fishing boats. The boats were in two clusters of six and nine respectively, about 40 km apart from each other and about 125 km from Bitra Island.”
Bitra, also known as Bitra Par, is a coral atoll belonging to the Amindivi sub-group of the Lakshadweep Islands. “During the rescue operations by ICGS Samrat, 184 crew were given food and water. Three were severely dehydrated, and were administered first aid. Samrat has been directed to guide the fishing boats to the shelter area near Bitra Island,” the statement said.
The Coast Guard region (West) has been carrying out extensive search-and-rescue efforts for stranded fishermen by deploying over 22 surface platforms and five aircraft, it added. During Cyclone Ockhi, the Coast Guard had saved 367 lives at sea, the statement said.
