Navy’s diving support vessel Nireekshak , which was on mission patrol along the coast of Kerala, came to the rescue of 10 fishermen stranded on board a Tamil Nadu-registered fishing boat, Saint Nicholas , off the coast of Kochi.
The boat with a 10-member crew did not have sufficient fuel, water, and provision to reach the home port of Kolachel in Tamil Nadu. Nireekshak , a ship under the Southern Naval Command in Kochi, provided assistance to the fishing boat by transferring 300 litres of fuel, water, and provision to sustain the occupants till they reach their home port.
In view of the existing health advisories on COVID-19, it was ensured that all transfer was done without any physical contact with the boat or crew. The fuel, water, and provisions were transferred using the ship’s crane.
The boat had left Kochi on March 12 for fishing in the Arabian Sea and has not touched any other port since then. It was to enter Kochi for refuelling and ration, but entry was denied owing to the lockdown.
