Indian Navy evacuates critically ill sailor from Singapore-flagged oil tanker in mid-sea rescue
New Delhi [India], June 13 (ANI): Indian Navy successfully airlifted a 41-year-old Indian seafarer from the Singapore-flagged oil tanker Eagle Veracruz in the Arabian Sea on Thursday, after receiving an emergency alert.
The Information Fusion Centre--Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) relayed the distress message on June 13, 2025, requesting urgent medical assistance for a critically ill crew member onboard the vessel.
Responding immediately, a Seaking helicopter was launched from INS Garuda in Kochi, while INS Sharda, a patrol vessel, was also diverted to support the operation.
Despite challenging conditions due to poor visibility caused by the ongoing monsoon and the absence of a suitable landing platform on the oil tanker, the Seaking crew executed a precise winching operation, successfully hoisting the patient from the deck of the moving ship.
The rescued seafarer, who required urgent medical attention, was transported to INS Garuda, from where he was promptly shifted to a hospital in Kochi for further treatment. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
How passenger in seat 11A became only survivor of Air India plane crash
Viswash Kumar Ramesh was one of 242 people on the 787-8 Dreamliner that went down shortly after takeoff in Ahmedabad, India. Somehow, he walked away. Only the passenger in Seat 11A on Air India Flight 171 lived to tell the tale, a survival nothing short of a miracle. When the Air India plane with 242 people onboard crashed into a building moments after taking off from the international airport in Ahmedabad, it burst into flames. The impact, heat and smoke were so intense, officials said, that escape was impossible. Except for Viswash Kumar Ramesh, 38. Mr. Ramesh's story initially appeared too good to be true; the crash was so severe that the bodies of most victims were charred beyond recognition, officials said. But by late evening, Air India confirmed that there had been one survivor, who was getting treatment at the hospital. Amit Shah, India's home minister, said he had visited the survivor, and Indian media ran photos of Mr. Shah standing at Mr. Ramesh's bedside. 'I still can't believe how I got out alive,' Mr. Ramesh said on Friday in an interview from his hospital bed with India's state broadcaster, Doordarshan. 'I thought I was also about to die.' Mr. Ramesh, who was seated in an exit row, said the plane had felt 'stuck five or 10 seconds after takeoff,' and it seemed to be trying to accelerate when it crashed. The front of the plane, after hitting buildings, crashed into an open area, he said, while the tail was stuck in a building, which was later identified as the dining facility of a medical college. Mr. Ramesh said he unbuckled his seatbelt after the crash when he saw a chance for escape. He did not make clear whether he had to open the emergency exit he was sitting next to, or if the impact had caused it to open. 'When my door broke, I saw there was some space — that I could try to get out,' he said in the interview. 'The other side, people couldn't get out, as it was crushed against a wall.' Mr. Ramesh, who is a British citizen, was returning to England after vacationing in India along with his brother Ajay, their younger brother Nayan said. Ajay, who the passenger list showed was seated in 11J on the right side of the plane, did not survive. Shortly after the crash, Mr. Ramesh made a video call from near the wreckage to his family in Leicester to confirm he was safe, the younger brother said. There, the family home was a scene of both mourning for Ajay and stunned amazement that Viswash had somehow walked away.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
an hour ago
- Business Standard
DGCA curbs Char Dham chopper flights post-crash, steps up surveillance
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday said it has already reduced the frequency of helicopter operations to Char Dham in Uttarakhand and is carrying out enhanced surveillance amid a spate of recent incidents during the pilgrimage season. The regulator's statement came after an Aryan Aviation Bell 407 helicopter crashed earlier in the day while flying from Kedarnath to Guptkashi. The helicopter went down near Gaurikund shortly after takeoff, killing five passengers, an infant, and the pilot. #WATCH | Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand: Today, a helicopter operating a flight on the sector Shri Kedarnath to Guptkashi was involved in an accident. A total of 07 people were on board this helicopter, who died on the spot. Rescue teams were immediately dispatched under the direction… — ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2025 Fifth accident in five weeks Sunday's crash marks the fifth helicopter-related incident in the Char Dham region in just over a month, raising urgent questions about operational discipline and safety compliance in difficult terrain. It also follows the tragic crash of an Air India Boeing 787 aircraft near Ahmedabad that killed over 265 people. 'As a precautionary measure, DGCA has already reduced frequency of helicopter operations to Char Dham, is carrying out the enhanced surveillance and reviewing the operation for any further action,' the regulator said in its statement. Recent incidents raise alarm On June 7, a private AW119 helicopter crash-landed shortly after takeoff from Sirsi. The pilot managed to land safely on a road near Badasu village, and there were no injuries. Earlier, on May 17, an Aiims-Rishikesh-operated heli-ambulance suffered tail damage during an attempted landing at Kedarnath. The pilot, doctor, and nurse onboard were unharmed despite the aircraft being damaged. On May 12, a helicopter's rotor blade struck a vehicle at the Badrinath helipad, sparking protests from local priests. No casualties were reported. The most serious of the earlier incidents occurred on May 8, when a helicopter en route to Gangotri crashed near Gangnani in Uttarkashi. Five pilgrims and the pilot were killed, while one person survived with critical injuries. Surveillance and operator suspensions In a separate statement issued on June 9, the DGCA said the spate of occurrences 'underscored the necessity for further strengthening the safety oversight' of Char Dham operations. It said investigations were underway into each incident to determine causes ranging from mechanical failures to weather conditions. 'DGCA has a zero-tolerance policy for safety violations,' the regulator reiterated in the June 9 communication. It added that 'special audits/enhanced surveillance' of operators had been ordered and that operations would be curtailed if needed. The DGCA is also monitoring live camera feeds from Kedarnath provided by the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA). In early June, it suspended two helicopter operators for failing to comply with parking protocols. Another charter operator had been suspended in May for safety violations. OGE-only flights mandated All operators flying to Char Dham have now been instructed to operate only under out-of-ground-effect (OGE) conditions until further notice. Operating in OGE conditions means helicopters must fly and hover at altitudes where they do not benefit from the additional lift generated near the ground. This standard is crucial for safety in mountainous and high-altitude terrains like Char Dham.
Mint
an hour ago
- Mint
Kedarnath chopper crash: Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami suspends helicopter services for two days
Helicopter services for Kedarnath have been suspended for the next two days after a chopper taking devotees from the pilgrim crashed, claiming seven lives, including that of an infant, on Sunday. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami told news agency ANI that the helicopter service would not run for the next two days, 'Helicopter services will not run today or tomorrow. These services will remain closed until the safety of the passengers is ensured,' he said. The DGCA has also announced that, as a precautionary measure, the frequencies of helicopter operations to Char Dham will be reduced. Dhami has directed the aviation companies to strictly comply with safety norms issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, and warned of strict action against those who will flout those rules. 'An emergency meeting has been called immediately, in which instructions have been given that the rules of our DGCA should not be violated,' he said. He added that pilots flying in the upper Himalayan areas should have experience in the region and urged aviation companies to ensure this. The chief minister suggested setting up a control and command centre for the helicopters and said strict action will be taken against the culprits of Sunday's accident. However, he also mentioned that the crash was due to 'bad weather'. 'I pray to God for those who lost their lives,' he said. On Sunday, June 15, seven people, including the pilot on board a helicopter were killed after the chopper crashed near the forested area of Gaurikund in Rudraprayag district. The Aryan Aviation Helicopter was flying to Guptkashi from the Kedarnath Dham when it crashed at 5:30 am today. Captain Rajbir Singh Chauhan (39) Vikram Rawat (47) Vinod Devi (66), Badrinath Kedarnath Temple Committee representative Trishti Singh (19) Rajkumar Suresh Jaiswal (41) Wife Shraddha Jaiswal Daughter Kashi Jaiswal (2) The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) will investigate the crash.
