Coast Guard helps merchant vessel in distress off Kerala coast

Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has helped a merchant vessel, with seven people on board, after its engine developed a technical snag when the ship was over 58 nautical miles off the Kerala coast. The ICG district headquarters, Kerala, on Wednesday morning, received a call from another merchant's vessel in the vicinity saying that MSV Asian Star with the seven onboard was in distress after flooding and failure of the main engine, a defense press release said here on Thursday.

Immediately, the maritime rescue sub-center in Kochi intimated the MRCC (maritime rescue coordination center), Mumbai. The Mumbai center directed the vessel MV BW Larissa, which informed the ICG about the distress of MSV Asian Star, to stay in its vicinity till the Coast Guard ship reaches there with assistance, the release said.

Constant updates on the current status of Asian Star were sought from Larissa. Subsequently, MRCC (Mumbai) diverted Coast Guard ship Savitribai Phule to proceed to the location and render necessary assistance, it said.

Savitribai Phule reached the area at 4 PM on Wednesday. A damage control team, along with a technical team of ICGS Savitribai Phule, embarked on the vessel in distress and controlled the flooding.

Later, the team restored the vessel's main engine at 5.30 PM and the ship reached its intended port (Mangalore) on Thursday morning, the release added.