26 bodies found; Navy searching for missing 49
In a tragedy that unfolded in the aftermath of Cyclone Tauktae ravaging the Maharashtra coast two days ago, the Indian Navy on Wednesday recovered 26 bodies from the accommodation barge Papaa-305. The Navy continued a massive search for 49 missing oil workers in and around the ONGC’s Mumbai High oilfields in the choppy Arabian Sea, through its warships, reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters.
While ONGC has said the tragedy occurred because the cyclone changed its path, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has rejected the claims.
IMD sources said they warned ONGC frequently about the approaching cyclone. Earlier, the ONGC rejected reports that it didn’t “remove” barges after repeated warnings from the Indian Coast Guard.
Meanwhile, in a hitherto most extensive off-shore search and rescue operations that saw the Navy and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescue more than 600 crew and oil workers during the past three days, the bodies of the 22 workers were brought to the Mumbai harbour by INS Kochi, a stealth guided missile destroyer.
In all, 261 persons were on board Pappa-305. Of these, the Navy has rescued 186 so far.
“As of now, 186 crew members of Accommodation barge P-305, and two from Tug ‘Varapradha’ have been rescued by Indian Navy ships and aircraft. A total of 26 mortal remains of the crew of Barge P305 have been recovered so far. Now a total of 49 persons are missing,” Defence spokesperson Commander Mehul Karnik said, while confirming the death of 26 persons on board the accommodation barge Papaa-305.
As the Indian Navy’s Search and Rescue (SAR) operations off Mumbai and Gujarat entered its third day, three warships INS Kolkata, INS Betwa and INS Beas were in the vicinity of Mumbai High looking for the survivors.
As part of the intensified search operation, a P-8I is a long-range, multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft carried out reconnaissance trips over the designated area even as SeaKing helicopters launched search operations.
Earlier in the day, the Defence spokesperson said: “All the 137 on board barge GAL Constructor were rescued yesterday and dropped in INS Shikra, the Naval helibase at Colaba in Mumbai and ICG air station in Daman.
“Besides, all the 196 on board Support Station 3 and 101 in Sagar Bhushan are safe and accounted for. Both have been secured. Those on board are being brought to the shores,” Commander Karnik said.
According to the Defence spokesperson, the Indian Naval ships and aircraft are currently undertaking SAR of the missing crew members of Accommodation Barge P-305, which sank on Monday 35 miles off Mumbai. INS Kochi, Kolkata, Beas, Betwa, Teg, P8I maritime surveillance aircraft, Chetak, ALH & Seaking helicopters are involved in the SAR operations.
INS Kochi which entered harbour on Wednesday to disembark 125 survivors and mortal remains of four crew members, was immediately sailed out in the evening again to continue the Search effort. INS Kolkata is scheduled to enter Mumbai harbour on 19th night to disembark the survivors rescued from barge P-305 and Tug “Varapradha” as well as the mortal remains of 18 crew members recovered during the operation.
On completion of its operations off Gujarat coast, INS Talwar has also been diverted to conjoin the other three naval ships searching for the missing crew of barge P-305, off Mumbai.
INS Talwar was the ‘On Scene Coordinator’ off Gujarat coast and assisted Support Station 3 (SS3) and Drill Ship Sagar Bhushan, which are now being safely towed back to Mumbai by ONGC support vessels. Food and water to the 300 odd crew members of these vessels was also provided by the naval helicopters from Mumbai, earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, survivors on board Papaa-305 brought horror stories to the shore. So much so that many on board Papaa-305, when the accommodation barge drifted dangerously as the Cyclone Tauktae cyclone passed the Mumbai coast, apprehended that they were all set to meet a watery grave.
Papaa-305, which had 261 persons on board when it sent out a distress call after experiencing water ingress and flooding, sank on Monday night. Many of the crew members with life jackets jumped into the choppy Arabian Sea.
Significantly enough, the vessel had a full complement of safety equipment including life jackets and life rafts for all persons on board.
“It was a horrific situation on the barge. With life jackets on, I jumped into the sea and swam in the waters for seven to eight hours. I had the determination to stay alive. I was ultimately rescued by the Navy,” workman Manoj Gite, who hails from Kolhapur, said.
“It is because of the Navy that we all are alive and safe today, otherwise we don’t know what would have happened to us,” another survivor said.
As the barge sank in the sea amid darkness of night, the crew was scattered here and there. We had to deal with huge waves and gale winds. It was something we had not experienced in all our lives. We still can fathom how we survived,” yet another survivor recalled.
