Vikramaditya
Sri Vijaya Puram, Oct 26: At about 0804 hours on 26th October 2025, an emergency call was received from the SHO, PS Baratang, reporting that two boats were found stranded at sea near Baludera Village, Baratang, due to inclement weather and squally winds since the previous night. It was feared that the boats might sink if they continued to be dragged against the sea stones.
Immediately, firefighters from Fire Station Baratang rushed to the site equipped with ropes, life jackets, and other disaster mitigation equipment. Access to the seashore was extremely difficult, as the route passed through dense forest and rough terrain approximately 3 km from the main road. Despite these challenges, the firefighters risked their safety and proceeded to the location. Upon arrival, it was observed that the two (02) boats were stuck in different parts of the sea. Meanwhile, two personnel from the PMF Unit, Baratang, also reached the site to assist in the operation.
The sea waves were high, and the wind velocity was strong, making the retrieval of both boats highly difficult and risky under such adverse conditions. A meticulous rescue plan was devised with the assistance of a local resident, who is familiar with sea operations.
The boat namely “JV” was successfully moored and retrieved from the sea stones, then pulled into deeper waters where it could float and sail freely.
Simultaneously, efforts were made to recover the 2nd boat namely “New Journey 10000”, a large vessel requiring considerable effort due to its size and the strong currents. It was eventually freed from the stones and guided to deeper water for safe maneuvering.
The owners were informed by phone, and within 1 ½ hour, their representatives arrived at the site, took charge of the boats, and safely sailed them back to Swaraj Dweep. The entire operation was carried out amid continuous rainfall and highly challenging weather conditions. No loss of life or damage to property was reported.
The Fire Service Department has estimated that property worth approximately ₹55.00 lakhs was saved during the firefighting operation, which includes Boat New Journey valued at ₹35.00 lakhs and Boat JV valued at ₹20.00 lakhs.
This successful rescue operation was made possible due to the prompt and courageous action of the Firefighters of Fire Station Baratang and the PMF staff, who performed their duties under life-threatening and adverse weather conditions. No external assistance or communication support was available during the incident due to the lack of mobile network connectivity in the area.
The entire rescue operation was led by ASI S. Subba Raj, Station Officer, Fire Station Baratang with the team comprising HC(S)/2448 Ashraf (PMF); PC/2181 Bipin Kishore Beck (Fire Service), HG/430 Anuj Kumar (PMF), HG/437 Vishal Toppo. (Fire Service) and HG/442 Tarang Prakash Kullu (Fire Service).
