Two days after it rescued two naval commandos of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) following a collision in mid-sea off the Gujarat coast, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) released details of the operation it undertook.
In the collision, three commandos died while one has gone missing and two were rescued by Gujarat fishermen and coast guards, who also provided primary treatment to the naval commandos in ICG ships.
According to details shared by the ICG, Maritime Recue Coordination Centre Mumbai received a message from the PMSA headquarters seeking assistance for one speed boat along with six crew, which went missing while on routine patrol off the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
The reported position of the boat that went missing was four nautical miles inside Pakistan waters.
Immediately after receiving the message, ICG ships ICGS Ankit, ICGS Samrat and ICGS Arinjay on patrol were pressed into service along with one ICG Dornier and an advanced light helicopter to undertake air coordinated search.
“In addition, Pakistan deployed two Naval ships, one PMSA ship, one fixed wing aircraft and one ship borne helicopter for undertaking operation within Pakistan waters,” the ICG release stated.
On April 10, a fishing trawler informed the ICG ship of the recovery of two survivors suspected to be Pakistani nationals from water. Marine commandos of the Coast Guard received custody of two Pakistani nationals and provided them treatment before handing them over to the PMSA.
“Subsequent search operations yielded recovery of the bodies of other four crew members. Both PMSA survivors and four dead bodies have been handed over to the Pakistan Naval ship, which was operating across the IMBL,” the release stated.
