Coast Guard launches rescue effort

The Indian Coast Guard here launched a search and rescue operation of a fishing boat about 200 nautical miles off New Mangalore Port on Monday.

According to S.S. Dasila, Commander of Coast Guard, Karnataka, the Coast Guard’s offshore patrol ve ssel ‘Vikram’ has been diverted from Mangaluru to tow the fishing boat ‘Luminous’ bearing a Tamil Nadu registration and its 13 crew members to Bitra Island.

The boat , owned by Cleetus, is suspected to have developed a defect in its prime motor, he said.

A coast guard dornier on a routine sortie noticed the boat in distress. The Coast Guard ship staff attempted to rectify the defect in the motor and the fuel pump.

“The engine cranked but failed to start. Coast Guard personnel from Kavaratti district headquarters are making arrangements for further rectification of the stricken boat,” he said in a communiqué.