The Indian Navy has rushed P-8 I long range maritime reconnaissance aircraft to Philippines to join search operation for 10 Indians on-board a cargo ship that sank in the Pacific off Japan on Friday last week.
The P-8 I landed at the Vilamor air base in Manila and will shortly start the search operation, officials said here on Monday adding the aircraft left India at 11.45 pm on Sunday. On Friday, the 33,205-tonne cargo ship MV Emerald Star sank off Okinawa. Sixteen Indians have been already rescued, while a search was still on for 10 other missing Indians. Indian missions in Japan, the Philippines and China were coordinating the search operation.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet the government was using aircraft and vessels to search for 10 Indian crew members. Officials also said five rescued Indian crew members are in Irene, the Philippines, and country’s mission is bringing them to Manila before repatriation to India. “Officials from our Guangzhou Consulate visited the injured Indian crew of ‘Emerald Star’ in a Xiamen hospital. 11 crew members are in Xiamen. Search for missing 10 crew members still
ongoing using aircraft and vessels. We will keep posting regular updates on further developments,” Kumar said.