Fuel oil from cargo vessel Nanda Aparajita, which ran aground a coral reef off Kavaratti in Lakshadweep on August 15, has been successfully pumped out and not a single drop spilled on sea surface, the navy today said.
The vessel, belonging to a Mumbai-based company, was carrying construction materials like cement of the PWD department from Agatti to Kavaratti when it ran aground following bad weather conditions.
"In the entire process of transfer of fuel from ground vessel to shore, not even a single drop of oil spilled on sea surface," a defence release here said.
"At the time of grounding, 15 personnel, including 12 crew and three cargo supervisors, were on board. The ship reported grounding incident to Coast Guard Ship Kavaratti, indicating it had 20 KL fuel on board. All 12 crew on board are safe," it said.
After the de-fuelling process, 4.2 KL fuel was left on board to augment salvage by Essar Shipping Company, it said.
The navy lauded the efforts of police and naval commandos and Coast Guard divers in transferring the first line of connectivity between shore and ship despite rough weather conditions.
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"The efforts have resulted in successful culmination of the operation of de-fuelling the ship. The combined effort of Lakshadweep administration, Navy and Coast Guard led to safe removal of 18.5 KL of fuel from ship to shore," the release said.
The grounding came in the wake of the collision of two Panamanian cargo ships -- MSC Chitra and MV Khalijia-111 -- on August 7 off the Mumbai coast causing an oil spill from one of the vessels.