Oh buoy! Real-time tsunami, storm predictor goes missing from Veraval coast
The wave rider buoy (WRB), an important device that relays real-time information for quick response, was deployed in the sea by the Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (CIFT) in association with the Indian National Center for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) in 2019.
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The WRB was transmitting data to CIFT Veraval and INCOIS, Hyderabad, regarding ocean wave conditions. Sources said that communication with the device was lost at approximately 3 am on July 8, after which all efforts to recover the instrument failed.
Chinnadurai S, principal Investigator of the wave rider project and a scientist, said, "There are two possibilities—it could have drifted away and ended in the deep sea because of the current, or it might be in the custody of someone in the coastal villages.
It's not useful for anybody, but it could be sold as scrap."
A joint survey was conducted by the CIFT team, marine police, and coast guard, covering up to 30 nautical miles at sea. An aerial survey using a helicopter was carried out between Porbandar and Mul Dwarka near Kodinar, while teams also walked along the shore in villages between Porbandar and Mul Dwarka to locate the device, but without much success.
Authorities addressed villagers, requesting them to surrender the instrument if it is in their possession, emphasising that it is a national asset. The search operation is ongoing across a broader coastal area from Porbandar to Diu, with beach walks being conducted in all coastal villages.
According to sources, these devices were procured from the Netherlands approximately a decade ago at a cost of Rs 55 to Rs 60 lakh each. The current value of the device exceeds Rs 1 crore.
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