SAR & Fire Fighting Assistance to Ocean Research Vessel by Coast Guard
Mangaluru: Indian Coast Guard ships successfully undertook the fire fighting on board ORV Sagar Sampada, which was on passage to Kochi. At about 2200 hrs on 15 March 2019 a distress message was received by Ops Room of No 3 Coast Guard District Headquarters (Karnataka) to render assistance to extinguish fire on board ORV Sagar Sampada which was reported to be operating 40 NM off Mangalore coast with 46 crew onboard including 16 scientists and 30 crew members.
On receipt of the information DHQ-3 diverted ICGS Vikram, based at New Mangalore and ICGS Sujay, based at Paradip, both OPV operating off Karnataka coast for safety and security patrol for diverted for SAR and Fire Fighting assistance to Sagar Sampada. Both the ships reached the site of incident at 0010 hrs on 16 March 2019 and commenced fire fighting operations. The boarding party of Vikram and Sujay equipped with fire-fighting and damage control equipment embarked Sagar Sampada for fire-fighting support and damage control assistance.
Simultaneously ICGS Vikram effected boundary cooling on the affected vessel from forward portion using external Fire Fighting (FIFI) equipment. Joint fire-fighting and damage controllers drawn from Vikram and Sujay were fully equipped with protective gears and Breathing Apparatus Self Contained Compressed Air (BASCCA) sets and Thermal Imaging Camera(TIC) and entered accommodation areas at about 0130 hrs to control the fire. Water jet also injected through vessels side port hole to affected compartment for dousing fire. The details of vessel : Nationality of Crew – Indian; Name of Master – Captain Ajay Kumar; Type of Vessel- Research Vessel (Marine Life Research); Port of Registry – Mumbai; Last Port of Call – Kochi; Next Port of Call – Kochi; Total Crew- 46 (30 Crew+ 16 Scientists) and Length of the Vessel – 71.5 meters
Both ships were employed to extinguish fire on the port (left) side of the vessel and continues to fight fire on the starboard (right) side of the vessel using external firefighting system (Water cannons mixed with foam to smother the fire). The vessel was escorted safety and presently berthed at New Mangalore Port. The vessel and crew including scientists are reported to be stable and safe.
The ship was visited by DIG SS Dasila, TM, Commander Coast Guard Karnataka along with Medical Team. Dasila said Coast Guard is ever ready to handle any emerging situations out at sea, fully geared and equipped for safe guarding the maritime interest of the nation in the given AoR. Further he added “Our men and women in uniform are here to protect the life and property at sea with the given motto of Indian Coast Guard “We Protect” and so we all proud of our men operating in blues at sea”.
