Indian Coast Guard : News, Pictures and Discussions.

[Hindustani78]

http://zeenews.india.com/india/hal-to-provide-32-alh-dhruv-choppers-to-navy-coast-guard-1991444.html

New Delhi: Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has signed a contract with the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) to provide 32 advanced light helicopter Dhruv (ALH-Dhruv), said an official release on Thursday.





Of the 32 helicopters to be built by HAL, 16 each would be shared by both the services.

The Rs 8,000-crore deal includes Performance-based Logistics (PBL) support for five years for 16 helicopters for the ICG.

Speaking on the deal, T. Suvarna Raju, Chairman and Managing Director, HAL, said: "The PBL is the purchase of logistics support as an integrated, affordable, performance package designed to optimise system readiness and meet performance goals for the product through long-term support arrangements with clear lines of authority and responsibility."

The contracts were signed by V. Natarajan, General Manager (Helicopter Division), HAL, and Jayant Sinha, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Defence, here on Wednesday.

As per the PBL contract, the responsibility for the maintenance will be with HAL and it will have to ensure the fleet availability.

The services in the past have blamed the lower availability of the aircraft to the inadequate support from the manufacturers.

The PBL envisages rewards or penalties based on the performance.

The indigenously designed and developed ALH-DHRUV is a twin-engine, multi-role, multi-mission new generation helicopter.



First Published: Thursday, March 30, 2017 - 22:47

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
11-April, 2017 16:44 IST
Coast Guard’s Measures to protect Fishermen

There have been no report about killing of any Indian fishermen by Sri Lankan Navy during the last three years. However, there are reports about an incident of firing in Palk Bay at around 2230 hrs on 06.03.2017, in which a fishing vessel from Tamil Nadu was fired upon allegedly by the Sri Lankan Navy, leading to death of an Indian fishermen. The Government of Sri Lanka has denied the involvement of their Navy in the firing incident. In a media statement, the Sri Lanka Navy has pointed out that their patrol boats are not authorized to open fire at any point on Indian fishermen transgressing into the Sri Lankan waters.

Government attaches highest importance to the safety, security and welfare of Indian fishermen. Indian Coast Guard provides assistance to Indian fishermen at sea while they are in distress through regular patrolling. It also conducts community Interaction Programmes to educate fishermen among other issues, on the perils of cross border fishing. For better accessibility, the Coast Guard has provided a toll free telephone number 1554 for search and rescue assistance to fishermen at sea.

Under operation ‘Tasha’, Indian Navy and Coast Guard ships are deployed in Palk Bay area to prevent any illegal activity and also to protect the Indian fishermen from any attack, while they are fishing in Indian waters. Indian Coast Guard have also distributed a total of 1,853 Distress Alert Transmitters (DATs) free of cost to fishermen in the coastal states of India which provide the location of a distressed fisherman to the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Chennai.

Whenever any such incident of attack and consequent detention of our fishermen by the Sri Lankan authorities are reported, Government through diplomatic channels, immediately takes up the matter with the Government of Sri Lanka to ensure that the Sri Lankan authorities act with restraint and our fishermen are treated in a humane manner and are released expeditiously.

This information was given by Minister of State for Defence Dr. Subhash Bhamre in a written reply to Shri D Raja in Rajya Sabha today.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nati...-decommissions-icgs-varad-after-27-years.html
The ship, built by Goa Shipyard Ltd, was commissioned in 1990, a Coast Guard release said.

Commanding Officer of the ship, Commandant Anwar Khan, presented the decommissioning report to Bargotra on the occasion. (Photo: Reprsentational/PTI)

Chennai: Coast Guard ship Varad, the eighth Vikram Class Offshore patrol vessel, has been decommissioned in Chennai after being in service for 27 years.

The ship, built by Goa Shipyard Ltd, was commissioned in 1990, a Coast Guard release said.

During the decommissioning ceremony, presided by Coast Guard Commander (East) Rajan Bargotra at the Chennai Port Trust Friday night, a guard of honour was conducted and the Coast Guard ensign was hauled down from the ship.

Commanding Officer of the ship, Commandant Anwar Khan, presented the decommissioning report to Bargotra on the occasion, the release said.

 

[Hindustani78]

https://www.google.com/search?q=map...QsAQIPg&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=hzFefwlDjIhdhM:
TWO FISHERMEN were killed, seven others were rescued while one went missing after their boats were trapped in sea currents off Jafrabad coast in Amreli in the early hours of Monday. The first incident was reported off Katpar coast in Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar. Pipavav marine police said that eight fishermen on board fishing trawler Bhatwati Prasad set sail from Jafrabad port at around 4:30 pm on Sunday. But they dropped anchor of Katpar coast at around 8:30 pm due to rough sea and strong winds. “But the sea and weather worsened and all of a sudden our boat overturned and we all fell overboard,” Manu Bambhaniya told Pipavav marine police on Tuesday.

After the trawler overturned, Manu Bambhaniya and fellow fishermen—Chetan Shiyal, his brother Dipak, Vinod Baraiya, Yogesh Solanki, Dhaval Vansh and Chana Shiyal—started floating in the sea. Police said that Manu, Kishan, Dipak, Vinod and Yogesh were rescued by a tugboat which was operating in the area. The rescued five fishermen were brought to Pipavav port by Indian Coast Guard at 1:30 AM on Monday but the other three had remained missing.

“Late on Monday evening, fishermen of Jafrabad who were helping in search and rescue operation managed to rescue Dhaval who kept on swimming for more than 17 hours. Dhaval, who is 21-year-old also kept Chetan’s body afloat all this while and helped salvage it eventually. But Chana is still missing and efforts are on to rescue him,” Pipavav marine police sub-inspector Vijayrajsinh Zala told The Indian Express on Tuesday.

Police said that the trawler Bhagwati Prasad belonged to one Kanaiyalal Solanki of Jafrabad while the tug, which rescued five fishermen was on its way to Surat but had dropped anchor off Katpar coast due to rough weather. In another incident, fishermen Mohan Solanki drowned after allegedly falling overboard Sagarbala trawler while operating around nine nautical miles off Jafrabad late on Monday night. Solanki’s son Shailesh told Jafrabad marine police that his father was at the wheel of Sagarbala while he and other six other fishermen were asleep. “The sea turned rough and wewere awakened by shouts of my father. When we woke up at around 10:30 pm, my father was not on board the boat and waters suggested that some other boat had passed by Sagarbala. We also discovered that a fishing net had trapped in the propeller of our boat. We contacted Sagarbala owner Babu Bariaya who in turn requested other boats for rescuing my father,” Shailesh told police.

Jafrabad PSI Zala said that Moha’s dead body was fished out from sea by other fishermen at 9 am on Tuesday.

 

[Hindustani78]

Challenging task: Efforts under way to rescue the crew of the barge near the Ullal coast on Saturday. | Photo Credit: H_S_Manjunath


http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-barge-near-ullal-rescued/article18719029.ece

It was damaged after hitting a reef on Saturday

The Indian Coast Guard with assistance of the Karnataka Coastal Security Police and a local team of swimmers on Sunday morning rescued all 27 crew members trapped in barge IBIS. The barge was damaged after hitting a reef near Mangaluru’s Ullal Coast on Saturday.

After rescuing four persons on Saturday evening, the crew of Indian Coast Guard vessel Amartya suspended rescue operation owing to poor light and rough sea. The coast guard resumed operations at 5.45 a.m., and by 9 a.m., the remaining 23 members of IBIS were brought to Amartya that was anchored 1.5 nautical miles away. Amartya then sailed to New Mangalore Port around 10.30 a.m.

Members of the Mumbai-based IBIS were assigned the task to build a portion of the reef to strengthen the seashore under the Asian Development Bank-funded Sustainable Coastal Protection Management and Development Programme.

Terming the operation challenging, DIG and Commander of Coast Guard Karnataka S.S. Dasila told reporters that rescue personnel had to brave strong winds and rough sea.

Following alert at 4.45 p.m. on Saturday, Coast Guard district operational officer Praveen Kumar Jaswal said Amartya was diverted from Surathkal for the rescue. As the water near the barge was not deep enough, Amartya could not venture closer and had to anchor 1.5 nautical miles away.

 

[Hindustani78]

More fire power: Begum Sahiba Sayeeda Abdul Ali, wife of Prince of Arcot, launching the Coast Guard’s interceptor boats C-433 and C-434, at Kattupalli.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/interceptor-boats-launched/article18789307.ece

Indian Coast Guard Interceptor Boats C-433 and C-434 were launched by Begum Sahiba Sayeeda Abdul Ali, wife of the Prince of Arcot, at L&T Shipyard, Kattupalli here on Wednesday, according to a press release.

Built by L&T Shipyard Ltd, C-433 will be based in Mandapam and C-434 in Kakinada, the press release said.


This is aimed at significantly improving the Coast Guard’s surveillance capability along the Palk Bay area and Andhra Pradesh coast, especially in the Krishna-Godavari G basin offshore development areas, the release said.

The Prince of Arcot, Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali, said the way Coast Guard had developed in the last 40 years was an accomplishment in itself.

 

[Hindustani78]

Timely advice: Coast Guard personnel giving a fisherman tips on how to use a lifejacket in Thoothukudi.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...l-interact-with-fishermen/article18872093.ece



Focus on beefing up coastal security
Officers and crew of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) ship Vaibhav interacted with fishermen and owners of fishing boats at North Threspuram here on Thursday .

A special demonstration was organised to tell fishermen how to survive at sea in case of a cyclone or bad weather condition.

Fishermen were sensitised to the need to report any suspicious activity witnessed on the islands of Gulf of Mannar.

The programme was aimed at sensitising them to coastal security, prompt search and rescue of fishermen stranded at sea.

They explained on how to share information with ICG personnel through toll free numbers 1554, which is manned round the clock.


They explained basic requirements at work including possession of original documents of all fishing boats, coordination and cooperation in terms of gathering information to assist fellow fishermen in case of distress, avoidance of unregistered boats and holding tokens for motorised country boats.

Besides, fishermen were asked to carry life saving equipment such as lifebuoy and life jacket whenever they went for fishing.

They were advised to complete the process of colour coding in their boats prior to the fishing season, which is scheduled to resume in the middle of June.

R. Dhanesh, Assistant Commandant, ICG ship Vaibhav, Coastal Security Group personnel, officials from Department of Fisheries and 30 fishermen attended the programme.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/616748/fishing-boat-collided-cargo-ship.html

Two fishermen were killed and one reported missing after a cargo ship registered in Panama collided with their boat off the Kochi coast in the early hours of Sunday.

The deceased were identified as Thambidurai, a native of Kulachal in Tamil Nadu and Rahul, from Assam. Three fishermen were injured in the incident.

The fishing boat, Carmel Matha, had 14 men on board when the incident happened, at about 2 am.

Minister for Fisheries J Mercykutty Amma said Amber L, the bulk carrier cargo ship from Panama, and its crew were detained. Preliminary reports said the cargo vessel had hit the anchored boat, about 14 nautical miles off the coast, destroying it completely and sailed away.

Men on another boat, woken up by cries for help from the sinking fishermen, started a rescue operation and managed to shift 11 men on their boat to the shore. The injured men are admitted in hospitals. The fishing boat had left Thoppumpady in Kochi two days ago.

A search operation by the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard led to the berthed cargo vessel and detention of its crew. “A case of culpable homicide and other cases under relevant sections will be registered.

The ship has already been detained,” Kochi Commissioner of Police M P Dinesh said. A search is on for the missing fisherman.

According to www.marinetraffic.com, Amber L had departed from the port of Eilat in Israel on May 30 and was reported anchored in Kochi early on Sunday. The vessel was built in 2000.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...at-in-kerala-being-probed/article18965098.ece

A team of officials from various departments on Monday began investigating navigation records and other details of a merchant vessel, which allegedly hit an Indian fishing boat on Sunday leaving two fishermen dead.

Officials said 15 personnel from departments including the Directorate General of Shipping, coastal police, immigration, customs and mercantile department boarded the Panama-registered cargo ship ‘Amber L’ to gather evidence.

They were taken in two boats to the ship currently anchored around 7 nautical miles off Kochi coast, officials said.

Two Indian fishermen were killed and 11 others injured when the Panama-registered cargo ship allegedly hit their fishing boat early on Sunday off the Kochi coast.

Out of the 14 crew members on-board, 11 were rescued by fishing boats operating in the vicinity and two bodies were recovered. One fisherman is missing after the collision.

Coastal police authorities said a coordinated search and rescue operation by the Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard is on to locate the missing fisherman.

The Navy has launched an Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) from the Naval Air Station, INS Garuda, while Coast Guard District Headquarters, Kochi immediately launched a Dornier aircraft.

INS Kalpeni and a Coast Guard ship have also sailed to locate the missing fisherman.

Navy said, the NC3I system at the Joint Operations Centre (Kochi) and Remote Operating Station (ROS) of Coast Guard having AIS and Radar capability were used to try and identify the merchant ship which was responsible for the collision.

Using these systems, the suspect merchant vessel MV Amber L was identified as its position at the time of the incident was close to the reported location.

A Coast Guard Ship with a police team was deployed yesterday for carrying out primary investigation.

The merchant ship has been directed not to leave Kochi till the investigation process is complete and its position is being monitored by Coast Guard Remote Operating Station (ROS).

 

[Hindustani78]

A probe team on Monday inspecting Amber L, the vessel suspected to have been involved in a mid-sea collision with a fishing boat off the Kochi coast on Sunday.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ited-kochi-for-refuelling/article18968340.ece


Even after collision it headed for fuel bunker, refuelled for three hours
Amber L, the Panama-flagged merchant vessel carrying fertilizer to China from Israel, had been approaching Kochi for refuelling when it collided with the ill-fated fishing boat.

According to Tomin J. Thachankary, Additional Director General of Police, Coastal Police, the vessel was heading towards a fuel bunker, located eight nautical miles off the Kochi coast when it reportedly rammed the fishing boat.

“The suspect vessel continued its inward movement even after the collision, berthed at the bunker here around 8.15 a.m. and continued refuelling till around 11.30 a.m. Had it begun its onward journey, it would not have been that easy for the agencies to locate and detain the ship,” the officer said.

As part of investigation, a joint team of enforcement agencies on Tuesday boarded the suspect vessel and examined its navigation records as well as other evidence pointing to her involvement in the collision.

“We have seized the voice data recorder, log book and movement registry of the vessel to ascertain the route, speed and direction of the ship when the collision took place. They will be sent for a forensic examination to decipher the data which will be crucial in determining whether it was a hit-and-run case,” Mr. Thachankary added.

Based on the finding, a decision on arresting the captain of the vessel and interrogating him will be made.

Since the Union Home Ministry has extended the jurisdictional limits of the Coastal police station here to 200 nautical miles into the high seas, the Circle Inspector of the coastal police station at Fort Kochi is entrusted with leading the investigation.

Joint team

The investigation into the mid-sea collision, in which two fishermen died and one went missing, is being carried out by a joint marine enforcement team. Besides Coastal Police, Navy, Coast Guard, Marine Mercantile Department, and Harbour Engineering Department are also taking part in the ongoing probe.

The ship is presently anchored at the Kochi port and has been detained within port limits, with the assistance of police and port authorities.

It has been directed not to leave Kochi till investigation is over. Its position is being monitored by Coast Guard Remote Operating Station (ROS).

Cases registered

The police have registered cases against the cargo vessel, which has 28 crew members on board, under IPC Sections 280 (rash navigation of vessel), 427 (mischief causing damage), 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 304 (causing death by negligence).

 

[Hindustani78]

Adding muscle: Coast Guard personnel carry out surveillance during the commissioning ceremony of interceptor boats C-431 and C-432 at the Chennai Port Trust on Thursday.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ons-two-interceptor-boats/article19229793.ece

They will be used for day and night patrolling and surveillance
The Coast Guard on Thursday commissioned two Interceptor Boats (IBs) — C-431 and C-432 — to further strengthen the coastal security mechanism along the Tamil Nadu Coast.

The boats will be used for day and night patrolling and surveillance, disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, anti-terror, anti-smuggling operations and fisheries protection and monitoring, a defence press release said.

“The boats are equipped with state-of-the-art sensors including sophisticated navigational and latest communication systems, and are capable of operating in tropical conditions with expected life span of more than 15 years. These IBs can achieve speed in excess of 40 Knots,” according to the release.

The IBs have been designed and built indigenously by Larsen & Toubro Shipbuilding, Kattupalli.


Following extensive trials on the equipment and machinery, the boats were commissioned into service, the press release said.

The IBs were commissioned by Lt. Gen. Rajan Ravindran, Commandant, Officer’s Training Academy, Chennai.

The boats are part of building 36 Interceptor Boats as per a contract signed by the Ministry of Defence and L&T in 2010, and will be based in Chennai and Karaikal.

 

[gslv mk3]

L&T design for OPV

 

[RISING SUN]

Ship carrying 1,500 kilos of heroin worth Rs 3,500 crore seized off Gujarat coast
The Indian Coast Guard ship Samudra Pavak intercepted and apprehended a Merchant Vessel carrying approximately 1,500 kilos of heroin valued at about Rs 3,500 Crore off the coast of Gujarat, official sources said on Sunday.

This is the largest single haul of narcotics seized till date. Based on intelligence inputs, the vessel was intercepted at around 12.00 hrs on July 29, 2017.

Joint investigation of the vessel by the ICG, IB, Police, Customs, Navy and other agencies is currently underway. All the members of the Merchant ship have been identified as Indians.
http://indianexpress.com/article/in...worth-rs-3500-crore-seized-off-gujarat-coast/

 

[GuardianRED]

https://twitter.com/x/status/891573905508360193

https://twitter.com/x/status/891593919481262080

 

[Nilgiri]

So what were the ship's previous ports of call?