Port Blair, Sept 01: Shedding more light on the incident of last Friday ,when MV Galathia was stranded off Karmorta, the police department today said that the 58 passengers were rescued by Police and PMF staffs. Coast Guard has now confirmed that they had coordinated the operation.
On 30/08/2019 at 1515 hrs. information was received at PS Nancowrie from AC Nancowrie Office that MV Galatia carrying 58 passengers including (17) student of Govt. Senior Secondary School Champin was stranded in the shallow water in the western side of Kamorta Jetty due to bad weather conditions and unable to move in any direction and the passengers/students on board need to be rescued.
Acting promptly on the received information, the Nancowrie Police along-with PMF Staff with the help of FIB MV Sanjeev under the supervision and direction of Shri. Rajeev Kumar, IPS, SP(D) Car Nicobar was immediately rushed to the stranded vessel as no other vessels were available at that time. All the passengers including student were safely de-boarded from M V Galatia and rescued to Kamorta Jetty.
Even other students and teachers waiting at Champin Island were also safely brought to Kamorta. One more DSS cargo Ship M V Chuglam was also stranded near Kamorta Jetty due to low water level which was later on rescued by Indian Coast Guard.
However a press release issued by Coast Guard on Friday had triggered some confusions, as the Press Release carried caption “Indian Coast Guard Evacuates 50 Passengers.”
“Coast Guard conducted the operation in coordination with PMF and other local authorities. The mandate of search and rescue lies with us and other agencies are stakeholders to it,” clarified the Public Relations Officer of Coast Guard, A & N region when contacted by Andaman Sheekha today.
