The Operations Centre of Coast Guard Karnataka district headquarter has saved 43 lives since August 12 with the latest one being nine crew members of a fishing boat, Vishwas, off the Surathkal coast near Mangaluru.
A release from the Coast Guard here said it received information from the district administrations of Udupi and Dakshina Kannada that Vishwas was adrift 40 nautical miles off Surathkal coast owing to engine failure on August 13.
Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Rajdoot found that boat engine was beyond repair immediately and had to be towed to the coast.
While Rajdoot was diverted for security operations in the run-up to Independence Day, ICGS Kasturba Gandhi was asked to assist.
However, Kasturba Gandhi too developed a technical snag and finally Rajdoot towed the fishing boat to NMPT, the release said. The boat was handed over to its owner with the crew.
Earlier, the Coast Guard had rescued eight crew members from fishing boat Laxmi Janardhana, off Bhatkal; Chitramoola off Malpe with six crew members; Zaibaman off Talapady with 10 crew members, and Sadan off Kasaragod with 10 crew members.
Meanwhile, the Coast Guard coordinated rescue operation of Nagaraj, a crew member on Krishna Maruti, who fell overboard 12 nautical miles from the Mangaluru coast.
NMPT asked Merchant Tanker Pacific Lagoon to recover the man, who was brought to harbour mouth for disembarkation. NMPT also liased for providing Tug to bring the person to the shore, said a communiqué from the Coast Guard.
