The Indian Navy reported Wednesday that at least 26 people from the sunken accommodations barge P305 are dead, and 49 are still missing. 186 survivors have been pulled from the water, reports Maritime Executive.
What happened?
The P305 went down off Mumbai on Monday evening during Cyclone Tauktae, which brought winds of up to 110 miles per hour and waves of up to 26 feet to the region.
P305 was one of three accommodations and work barges that broke loose from their moorings in the Bombay High region, prompting a challenging search, rescue and evacuation effort for hundreds of affected workers.
The Indian Coast Guard, Indian Navy and good samaritan vessels rescued all personnel from the other two barges, including one that ran aground.
Rescue efforts
According to former Indian Navy spokesman Capt. DK Sharma (ret’d), the destroyer INS Kochi was responsible for rescuing over 120 victims of the P305 sinking, maneuvering through extreme waves and winds to reach the survivors and bring them on board. One of the P305’s crewmembers told ANI that he was in the water for 11 hours before his rescue.
No words would be enough to Thank our officers & men who are leaving no stone unturned to Search & Rescue survivors of barge P305 which went down in the aftermath of #CycloneTaukte.
They are at it & won’t give up till the last man is picked up @indiannavy @abhilashtomy pic.twitter.com/J9rumvsQEV— Captain DK Sharma (@CaptDKS) May 19, 2021
Video of rescue ops from sunken barge P305 off Mumbai coast by INS Kochi #CycloneTaukte
VC: @indiannavy pic.twitter.com/w0K6AtpQ9J— Dinakar Peri (@dperi84) May 19, 2021
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Source: Maritime Executive
