SNC Undertakes Search and Rescue of Fishermen at Kochi

SNC Undertakes Search and Rescue of Fishermen at Kochi

The Indian Navy, rescued four persons from a sinking fishing boat off Kochi on 15 August 2018. The request was received from civil authorities at the Joint Operations Centre (Kochi) regarding a fishing boat that had suffered an engine seizure, was being battered by the waves and taking-in water rapidly. The boat was reported to be about 20 nautical miles South of Kochi. An ALH helicopter was launched, despite inclement weather with frequent rain squalls, thick clouding and minimal visibility, for undertaking the search and rescue operation. A Dornier aircraft, which was already airborne reported sighting debris in the location indicated. The ALH commenced its search and sighted one half of the hull, but no survivors. The ALH continued its search and located the other half of the boat with four survivors clinging on to a piece of floating debris. All four survivors were winched up, one by one, using the rescue basket of the helicopter. The survivors, after initial medical examination at INS Garuda, were transferred to Government hospital Ernakulam.