Stranded workers from a barge, which had gone adrift amidst heavy rain and strong winds due to Cyclone Tauktae, being airlifted by naval personnel on an Indian Navy Seaking helicopter (AFP)
NEW DELHI: ONGC s barge P-305, that sank in the Arabian Sea due to cyclone Tauktae, has ben located on the seabed. Navy s ship INS Makar was able to locate the barge today using advanced side scan radars.
The barge sank after breaking loose of its anchors and hitting an oil platform in rough seas after the cyclone struck.
Of the 261 people on bard P-305, 66 are now confirmed dead while 9 are missing. 43 of the dead have been identified. 41 bodies have been handed over to the families. The police also sent 30 samples for DNA testing to identify some of the bodies.
When Cyclone Tauktae struck on May 17, there were 342 installations in the Western Offshore region of the Arabian Sea with 7,675 people. Of these installations, 243 were fixed and 99 floating. ONGC officials say based on the weather warning, it activated its emergency response system and issued instructions to all installations to take action in line with the standard operating procedure.
5 vessels that were stranded
Support Station-3 Construction Barge: Carried 202 people. Encountered mechanical problem while moving to safe location, its towing wire line snapped and started drifting. All rescued.
Sagar Bhushan Drill ship of ONGC: 101 onboard. Was required to stay there per SOP. However, its anchors gave away and it developed mechanical fault in the steering system. All rescued.
Cyclone Tauktae: 93 crew members of sunken ONGC barge still missing off Maharashtra coast, massive search operation on
A total of 638 people who were aboard ships near Maharashtra and Gujarat had either been rescued or their vessel had been secured by Tuesday evening. Three personnel rescued by Sea King helicopter from Barge P305 being taken for medical attention at INS Shikra. (Photo: IANS)
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Updated: May 19, 2021, 08:44 AM IST
Even as Cyclone Tauktae is weakening, as many as 93 crew members of an ONGC barge – Barge Papaa (P-305) - are still marooned in the Arabian Sea after the vessel sank 35 nautical miles off the Mumbai coast. Five ships of the Indian Navy, several Naval helicopters and the Indian Coast Guard were pressed into service to trace and rescue the crew members. At least 177 members of the 273 personnel on board were rescued in a massive search operation by the Navy. Navy ships Beas, Betwa and Teg joined INS Kochi and Kolkata as
Cyclone Tauktae: 22 dead, 65 missing, 186 rescued from ONGC s sunken barge P 305
The Navy said its personnel battling extreme weather, have so far rescued 186 of the 273 people who were onboard barge P305 and also two from tugboat. INS Kochi has arrived in Mumbai with the rescued crew of the Barge P305 (Image Source: Twitter/@PBNS India)
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Updated: May 19, 2021, 05:11 PM IST
Cyclone Tauktae: As many as 22 out of the 75 people missing from the barge that sank in the Arabian Sea after getting caught in a severe cyclonic storm are confirmed dead, government sources said. The status of 65 people is yet to be known.