The navy launched a SeaKing chopper at 7:58 am from INS Shikra, Colaba, while CG launched two Chetak helicopters at around 8:40 am for the rescue operation.
Two passengers died and 75 others were rescued after a speed boat crashed into a ferry off the Mumbai coast. The ferry, carrying 80 passengers and five crew members, was on its way to Elephanta Islands when the speed boat circled it before crashing into it. The Navy and Coast Guard launched a massive rescue operation, with 11 Navy boats, three Marine Police boats, and a Coast Guard boat deployed. Four helicopters were also involved in the search and rescue operation. Police, Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority personnel, and local fishermen are assisting in the rescue efforts. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that seven to eight passengers remain missing.
Eight persons, including the ship's captain, were reported missing after the vessel sank in turbulent seas on Monday.
The indigenously designed and developed Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH-Dhruv) and the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will not be part of the upcoming Republic Day flypast in India due to the grounding of the entire fleet of ALH-Dhruv helicopters following a crash earlier this month. The grounding of the helicopters is a result of a Coast Guard ALH crash in Porbandar, Gujarat on January 5, which claimed the lives of two pilots and an aircrew diver. The decision to exclude the ALH-Dhruv and Tejas from the flypast comes as a high-level probe panel investigates the cause of the crash.
Fifteen ships belonging to both the Coast Guard and the Indian Navy are a part of the search mission, in addition to the advanced Boeing Poseidon P81 surveillance aircraft.
The CG headquarters and station are coming up at a time when the Indian waters off Lakshadweep Islands chain in the Arabian Sea have witnessed increased pirate activity in recent months.
The senior diplomat on Thursday visited the Indian Coast Guard Headquarters (West) to express gratitude to the maritime security agency for saving Chinese mariners over the past two years, an official statement said.
The vessel is believed to be privately-owned and used by navy, customs and police personnel for joint patrolling.
The nine-member crew cited 'unprecedented storm-like weather conditions' as the reason for the ship to capsize.
A Coast Guard Dornier surveillance aircraft with three crew members on board went missing on Monday night off the coast of Chennai.
The survivors and the bodies were found near Kendo island of the Sunderbans on Tuesday.
Aimed at boosting the Coast Guard's (CG) surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities along India's western coast, a new CG Air Enclave will be made operational on Thursday at Porbandar in Gujarat.
The Coast Guard pressed into service several of its ships along with helicopters off the coast of Mumbai and Gujarat, an official spokesman said. EEZ of a country is the 200-km maritime region from its shores. In Indian waters, the Coast Guard has the responsibility of looking after this region.
Indian Coast Guard on Saturday said suspicions were raised about the identity of crew of the explosives-laden boat intercepted by them, as they did not resemble fishermen from their dressing style and carried no nets.
The fire on a merchant vessel off the Karwar coast has been brought under control after more than 24 hours but one of the ship's 21 crew members was missing, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said on Saturday.
The Coast Guard has secured the release of 72 Indian fishermen from the custody of Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, which had held them in the Arabian sea off Jakhau coast since Friday.
A survivor has claimed that the incident occurred after the boat hit a rocky patch in the Prongs Reef Lighthouse area in sea, which is the southernmost tip of Mumbai.
With the search for the missing Coast Guard Dornier aircraft with three crew members making no headway, more ships will join the operation and a review of the situation is on, a top official said on Wednesday.
The commissioning of these ships is of great significance for the Coast Guard, that is the nodal agency for oil spill response in India's Exclusive Economic Zone under the National Oil Disaster Contingency Plan.
The Coast Guard's latest and largest offshore patrol vessel, Samarth, was on Tuesday commissioned at Vasco Da Gama in Goa by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar who asked the force not to sit on past laurels and focus on securing India's maritime interests.
A probe into the biggest drug haul of 6,000 kg methamphetamine in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands has shown that the Myanmarese smugglers were using the Starlink satellite internet services for navigation through the mid-sea, a top police officer said on Thursday. Authorities suspect that the drug consignments may be linked to notorious international cartels, such as Tse Chi Lop's (the Chinese El Chapo) or Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes' (El Mencho) operations.
In a freak mishap, a 30 mm gun on board a Coast Guard ship went off accidentally when it was being repaired, damaging a portion of the Western Naval Command headquarters building in Mumbai.
The Normandy landings on D-Day -- June 6, 1944 -- began the end to World War II.
Survey ship Sandhayak picks up signals likely from missing Coast Guard aircraft
The Quad grouping has called for bringing the perpetrators, organisers and financiers of the Pahalgam terror attack to justice without any delay and urged UN member nations to extend cooperation for it.
A ferry carrying over 100 passengers capsized after being hit by a Navy craft off the Gateway of India in Mumbai, killing 13 people, including Navy personnel and two contractual naval employees. The ferry, 'Neel Kamal,' had a capacity of 90 passengers but was carrying over 100 people at the time of the accident. A case has been registered against the Navy craft driver at the Colaba police station. The mangled ferry has been taken to 'Bhaucha Dhakka' in south Mumbai.
The two missing persons have been identified as 43-year-old Hansraj Bhati and seven-year-old Johan Mohammad Nisar Ahmed Pathan, the police said.
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Monday attributed early arrival of the southwest monsoon and heavy rainfall in a short span for the inundation of low-lying areas in Mumbai, which disrupted road and railway traffic.
Asra Hussain Raza, a 26-year-old daughter of Indian immigrants, was among the 67 people killed in a tragic midair collision between an Army helicopter and a jetliner at Ronald Reagan National Airport in the US. The collision, the deadliest aviation disaster in the US since 2001, happened when American Airlines Flight 5342 collided with the Army helicopter as it approached the airport on Wednesday night. Raza, a consultant, graduated with honors from Indiana University and married her college sweetheart in August 2023.
Post the 26/11 attacks, the Indian Coast Guard has carried out 26 operations in coordination with other maritime security agencies on basis of intelligence inputs to thwart any assault from the sea. But no one has been apprehended so far in the last 22 months. This despite the fact that these operations to nab 'rogue' boats and trawlers with terrorists were being carried out after receiving tip offs from intelligence agencies, Defence Ministry sources said.
The overnight operation in the Arabian Sea was carried out in coordination with the Gujarat Anti-terrorism Squad and the Narcotics Control Bureau, it said.
The Indian Coast Guard on Friday seized a Pakistani boat and arrested seven fishermen for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line near Jamnagar.
India showcased its indigenous short-range tactical missile Pralay for the first time at the Republic Day parade on Sunday. The missile, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is capable of carrying a nuclear warhead and has a range of 150 to 500 kms. The parade featured an array of other indigenously built missiles, surveillance systems, and weapon systems, reflecting India's growing military prowess. The DRDO displayed its latest innovations for national security, including the quick reaction surface-to-air missile, airborne early warning and control system, and drone detect, deter and destroy system.
For the first time after the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, an Indian coast guard team visited Pakistan earlier this week to discuss the issues of fishermen languishing in jails and coordination between the two maritime forces.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that some of the 95 Indian fishermen released by Bangladesh after being arrested for illegally entering its waters were beaten up in jail. Banerjee, who was in Sagar Island to oversee preparations for the upcoming Ganga Sagar Mela, felicitated the fishermen and described them as "victims of circumstances". She said some fishermen were limping and told her they were assaulted in jail with their hands tied, resulting in injuries below the waist and legs. She also announced two schemes to help fishermen in the state: 'Samudra Sathi' and 'Matsajibi Bandhu'.
The Squad seeks to counter China's power assertions in the South China Sea region.
The Navy deployed six ships and an unknown number of surveillance aircraft in the rescue mission.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pamban sea bridge, providing rail link between Rameswaram island and the mainland and flagged off the new Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) train service. The bridge is India's first vertical sea-lift bridge, spanning 2.08 kilometers, and includes a 72.5-meter-long vertical lift span that can be raised up to 17 meters, allowing the smooth passage of large ships while ensuring seamless train operations. Built at a cost of over Rs 550 crore, the bridge features stainless steel reinforcement, high-grade paint, and fully welded joints, enhancing durability while reducing maintenance requirements. The bridge is a remarkable blend of tradition and technology.
A survivor of the fatal speedboat-ferry collision in Mumbai has accused the Navy speedboat driver of "showing off" and "being in a playful mood" before the crash that claimed 14 lives. Gautam Gupta, who lost his aunt in the incident, described the driver's reckless maneuvering, which ultimately led to the collision with the ferry carrying passengers to Elephanta Island. Gupta also disputed the Navy's claim of engine failure in the speedboat, saying the driver was seen zig-zagging through the water and appeared to be enjoying the attention before the collision. The incident has sparked outrage and raised questions about safety protocols and accountability.
The 76th Republic Day Parade concluded with a memorable display of aerial acrobatics, including a stunning victory roll by Rafale aircraft and daring maneuvers by Sukhoi-30 fighter jets. The flypast, featuring over 40 aircraft, captivated the large crowd gathered along Kartavya Path, including President Droupadi Murmu, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The parade showcased the strength and skill of the Indian Air Force and provided a spectacular visual experience for the audience.
