A
cargo vessel MV Nand Kawas owned by Essar Shipping Ltd was stranded
180 nautical miles off Visakhapatnam coast due to a severe cyclone.
The 77-mtre vessel was sailing from Visakhapatnam to Hazira in Gujarat
with loads of iron ore onboard.
On
receipt of distress signal by Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre
(MRCC) Chennai, CGS Vijaya swung into action. The ship under the
command of Cmdt VSR Murthy sailed braving the cyclonic weather. It
established communication with the distressed vessel and proceeded
towards the reported position. The ship found that the vessel's
engines had been seized due to contamination of fuel with sea water.
The vessel sustained extensive damages due to inclement weather.
The Master and Chief
Engineer of the vessel had given up hope. However, Cmdt Murthy pepped
up the morale of crew and motivated them to put up their best efforts.
Finally the crew succeeded in starting engines and headed towards the
coast. While it was proceeding towards the coast, the Master reported
that the vessel's freeboard was submerging and its reserve buoyancy
was fast decreasing. He conveyed his intentions of abandoning the
vessel as it was considered unsafe to remain onboard. The crew finally
abandoned the vessel in two life rafts. Thus, the crew of MV Nand
Kawas was rescued by Vijaya. who later proceeded towards Visakhapatnam.
