Port Blair, Sept 13: The Commander-in-Chief ANC Command Lt Gen NC Marwah, PVSM, AVSM has awarded “On the Spot Commendations” to two Coast Guard officers namely Comdt S Choudhary of CGAE Port Blair and Asst Comdt AK Pandey, Commanding Officer, C-140 based at Diglipur, for displaying exemplary professional competence and devotion to duty, keeping with best traditions of service. The officers have contributed immensely in the recently conducted two Sea-Air coordinated operations by the Coast Guard Region (A&N), which resulted in rescuing of 49 Srilankan Nationals and apprehension of 08 Myanamarese Poachers in our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
On 14 Aug 12, based on a report from a Coast Guard Dornier on a surveillance sortie regarding an adrift boat with number of personnel apparently in distress at about 90 nm South-East of Diglipur, the Coast Guard Interceptor Boat under the command of Asst Comdt AK Pandey was sailed with dispatch from Diglipur. Braving rough seas and adverse weather conditions for about 25 hrs, the boat was successfully located with 49 Srilankan personnel in distress and safely escorted to Diglipur. Despite being only officer onboard and operating beyond the limits of small boat operation, the officer proved his mettle at sea in accomplishing the mission.
In an another operation on 30 Aug 12, Comdt S Choudhary, an observer of CGAE Port Blair, during a EEZ surveillance sortie by Coast Guard Dornier sighted a suspicious boat near Barren Island at about 1125 hrs. Prior returning to base, the information was passed to the Operation Centre of the Coast Guard Regional Headquarters (A&N). With an aim to relocate the suspicious boat, a second CG Dornier sortie again under the command of Commandant S Choudhary was launched. By the time aircraft reached the area, weather and visibility condition were deteriorated and daylight was also diminishing. The officer however, continued the search with diligence and perseverance, and after about an hour managed to locate the boat off Barren Island and promptly identified as a Myanamarese boat with poachers onboard. The information was thereafter passed to ICGS Kanaklata Barua operating in the area for apprehension of the Myanamarese boat. In the deteriorating weather conditions, Comdt S Choudhary kept continuous track of the Myanamarese boat and successfully vectored ICGS Kanaklata Barua, which apprehended the boat along with 08 Myanamarese poachers.
The efforts being put in by the Coast Guard Region (A&N) in rescuing precious lives and apprehending number of poachers in our EEZ have been applauded by the Commander-in-Chief, Andaman and Nicobar Command.
