In a joint operation carried out off the Mumbai coast, the Oil and Natural Gas Commission Limited and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) averted a possible disaster after an empty gas tanker of Dubai started drifting dangerously towards the sensitive Mumbai High Fields following an engine failure.
After 36-hour-long operation, ‘MV Gas Yodla’, which was on a voyage from Bangladesh to UAE, was towed away to safety on Monday.
The ONGC and ICG undertook the operation when ‘MV Gas Yodla’, owned by Sheild Marine, Dubai, developed a major snag in its engine on Saturday evening and it started drifting in the high seas, 37 kilometers from the ONGC’s D1 field.
At that time, there was crew of 17 men -- comprising 8 Indians and 9 Ukrainians – when its engine failed. It sent out a distress call to Offshore Defence Advisory Group (ODAG) in Mumbai.
Acting on the call, the ONGC immediately rushed its offshore supply vessel ‘Sagar Pride’, divtered a multi-supply vessel ‘Seamec-3’ and tugboat ‘Saroja Blessing’, while the ODAG Mumbai mobilized its vessel ‘P.R. Nayak’. Another tugboat ‘Water Lily’ also joined the operation launched to help out ‘MV Gas Yodla’.
The path of the vessel was closely monitored and by 10 pm on Saturday night, it was found that drifting ‘MV Gas Yodla’ was located around 28 kms from the D1 field.
The vessel was drifting at around 3.4 km/hour as all the agencies made attempts to ensure it remained at a safe distance from the Mumbai High Fields.
Subsequently, on Sunday morning, the ICG’s vessel, ‘Sankalp reached the spot and the crew of the distressed ship managed to repair the engine, and restarted its emergency generator, even as the vessel’s owners arranged a vessel ‘MV Garnet’ for bunker support.
The Master of ‘MV Gas Yodla’ agreed to the vessel being towed by ONGC’s ‘Sagar Pride’ which managed to sail it to safety early on Monday.