Three foreign crew members of a Panama-flagged bulk carrier who had suffered severe burn injuries were rescued Friday after a joint operation by the Indian Navy and the Coast Guard off the Goa coast, officials said.
The three crew members -- two Chinese nationals and one Indonesian nationals -- were onboard MV Heilan Star. The fourth crew had succumbed to injuries, a Navy official said.
The medical evacuation, through joint efforts of the Navy and the Indian Coast Guard, took place in the early hours of Friday, the defence ministry said in a statement.
The Panama-flagged bulk carrier was located about 230 nautical miles west of Goa.
On the intervening night of March 20 and March 21, the Indian Coast Guard's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai informed the Indian Navy of four crew members of MV Heilan Star, having sustained severe burn injuries and requiring immediate advanced medical care, it said.
Responding swiftly, the Navy diverted two ships, INS Vikrant and INS Deepak, from their ongoing deployment to render aid.
At first light on March 21 a Seaking helicopter from Vikrant carried out a "challenging winching operation, to evacuate three injured crew -- two Chinese and one Indonesian nationals, from MV Heilan Star," the senior official said.
The rescued crew were immediately flown to INS Hansa, Goa, from where they were transferred to a civil hospital for further medical care, he said.
This operation underscores the Indian Navy's and the Indian Coast Guard's unwavering commitment to life-saving efforts and swift response to humanitarian assistance, despite challenging circumstances, even beyond national maritime boundaries, the ministry said.
