Gandhinagar

The National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board meeting was held in Gujarat, the state with longest coast-line, for the first time today during which a host of important issues were discussed by the veterans of the Indian Cost Guard.

Defence Spokesperson Wing Commander Abhishek Matiman said the fourteenth edition of the meeting held in Gandhinagar discussed issues like evolving long term plans regarding inter-agency co-ordination matters and modalities towards a strengthened framework for Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in the Indian waters.

In the meeting, held at Hotel Narayani Heights, Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, AVSM and Director General Indian Coast Guard, who chaired it , re-iterated the requirement to augment SAR capabilities so as to cater for growing maritime activities in the Indian search and rescue region. The other important subjects discussed included mechanism for testing of Distress Beacons, synergy between aeronautical and maritime SAR and enhanced participation of merchant men in the SAR process, Mr. Matiman said.

The coordination for Maritime SAR Operations is done from the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centers (MRCCs) of the Indian Coast Guard, located at Mumbai, Chennai and Port Blair.

It was for the first time that the meeting was conducted under the aegis of the Coast Guard Regional Headquarters (North West), Gandhinagar. Vice Admiral Bisht also presented awards to ships/units/ boats for their contribution towards Search and Rescue at sea. The ICG award for best merchant vessel was awarded to MV ‘Maersk Privilege’, while the ICG award for fishermen was awarded to Fishing boat ‘L Aster’ from Kanyakumari. In the category of Government owned SAR unit, the M/s Essar SAR award was jointly presented to ICG Hovercraft H-194 and NIOT Offshore Research Vessel ‘Sagar Manjusha’, the spokesperson said.

– DeshGujarat