Indian Coast Guard, Pakistan Agency join forces to rescue 12 crew members from sunken ship

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has rescued 12 crew members of a merchant vessel from the country that sank in the North Arabian Sea during its voyage from Porbandar in Gujarat to Bandar Abbas port in Iran, officials said on Thursday (December 5, 2024). The vessel, ‘(Maritime Security Agency) MSV Al Piranpir,’ sank on Wednesday (December 4, 2024) outside Indian waters, within Pakistan’s search and rescue region. The Indian Coast Guard carried out the rescue operation in collaboration with the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), the ICG said in a press release.

"This humanitarian search and rescue mission saw a close collaboration between the Indian Coast Guard and PMSA, with both nations' Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres [MRCC] maintaining continuous communication throughout the operation," the ICG said in a release. The merchant vessel left with general cargo for the Iranian port from Porbandar on December 2. On its way, it reportedly sank in the morning hours of Wednesday (Dec. 4) due to rough seas and flooding, said the press release.

The Indian Coast Guard's MRCC, Mumbai, received a distress call which promptly alerted the ICG Regional Headquarters (North West) in Gandhinagar. ICG ship Sarthak was immediately diverted to the reported location. The MRCC Pakistan was also contacted to alert mariners in the area, and their assistance was swiftly provided, the press release said.