Coast Guard coordinates rescue of crew of stranded Maldives bound vessel

The vessel, 'Annai Vailankanne Arockia Vennila,' amid rough seas, reported a technical snag when it was about 170 Nautical Miles from Tuticorin and 230 NM off Maldives and requested assistance by transmitting a distress alert message through the Distressed Alert Transmitter-DAT.

The distress message on flooding through DAT was received by the Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), here at about 4 PM on October 5, a Defence release said.  

MRCC launched the National Search and Rescue Services and activated the International Safety Net for coordinating search and rescue operation. 

Out of the two merchant vessels identified for rescue, MV MCP Salzburg reached the location and safely rescued all the nine crew members early morning on Wednesday.

MV MCP Salzburg has proceeded to its next port of call, which is Maldives, and the rescued crew would be disembarking there.

The DAT is an indigenous technology developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation in consultation with Coast Guard and the National Search and Rescue Authority.                                                                                                                              

DATs are carried by Indian fishing boats, mechanised sailing vessels, coastal vessels and other small vessels too.