Navy rescues 10 fishermen stranded in sea off Kochi coast

: An Indian Navy vessel has come to

the rescue of 10 fishermen stranded in the sea off Kochi coast without sufficient fuel and provision in their Tamil Nadu-registered boat.

INS Nireekshak, a diving support vessel of the Southern Naval Command, on Wednesday found the fishing boat Saint Nicholas without fuel, water and provision to reach the home port of Kolachel in Tamil Nadu, a defence spokesman said here.

The boat was found stranded while the Navy vessel was on a mission patrol along the Kerala coast, he said.

Nireekshak, realising that the boat was in distress, provided assistance to it by transferring 300 litres of fuel, water and provision to sustain them till they reached their home port, the spokesman said in a press release.

 

"In view of the existing health advisories on COVID-19, it was ensured that all transfer was done without any physical contact with the boat or crew. The fuel, water and provisions were transferred using the ship's crane," he said.

The boat had left Kochi on March 12 for fishing in the Arabian Sea and has not since touched any other port.

It was to enter Kochi for re-fueling and ration but entry was denied in view of ongoing lockdown due to the coronavirus.

The spokesman said Naval ships continue to remain mission-deployed during COVID-19 crisis and the deployments are being planned without any port visit to the extent possible or with at least a gap of 14 days at sea from the last port visit prior return.