Navy hands over stranded Indian fishing boat to Coast Guard
August 25, 2011 09:21 am
A Coast Guard ship rescued an Indian fishing boat with four men on board that was anchored in Sri Lankan waters due to engine failure, officials said.
Indian fishing boat Barashakti and its crew were handed over by the Sri Lankan Navy to an Indian Coast Guard ship on patrol at 1600 hrs off International Maritime Boundary Line yesterday, officials said.
The crew had ventured in their boat on Monday and were expected to returned yesterday.
However, the boat had developed engine trouble on Monday evening and drifted to Lankan waters due to rough sea, its owner said. The boat was sighted by the Lankan Navy yesterday morning and subsequently they intimated the Indian Coast Guard Ship patrolling in the area, officials said.
The distressed boat was taken under tow by the Coast Guard ship and brought to Mandapam anchorage yesterday evening. The boat and crew were handed to Assistant Director, Fisheries, Mandapam yesterday post joint interrogation, officials said. (PTI)