Indian Coast Guard stabilizes tilting tanker and conducts medical evacuation

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) successfully prevented a major maritime disaster by stabilizing the Belize-flagged tanker MT Seagull 9 off the coast of Odisha. The vessel, which was transporting 9,000 metric tons of palm oil and carrying 23 crew members, issued a distress call after an engine failure and rapid flooding in a ballast tank caused it to tilt dangerously near Paradip.

A specialized ICG Damage Control Team boarded the vessel to manage the flooding using submersible pumps and by sealing damaged seawater pipelines. The operation, supported by the ICGS Vishwast and aerial surveillance from a Dornier aircraft, stabilized the ship and prevented it from capsizing. The tanker was subsequently moved to an anchorage location off Paradip.

In a separate operation, the ICG also conducted a medical evacuation off the coast of Goa. A 26-year-old Indian seafarer was rescued from the Panama-flagged merchant vessel HT Unite by the Indian Coast Guard Ship Akshay and transferred for medical attention.