Mumbai: Seventy-eight pilgrims, who were stranded in a ferry off the Mumbai coast, were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard on Tuesday.

The pilgrims had gone to visit the Someshwer Shiva temple near the Elephanta Island for Shivaratri on a local passenger craft, ‘Navrang.’ Around 3.30 p.m., while returning to the Nhava Sheva port, the vessel’s engine got stuck in a mud patch.

“In view of the occasion of Shivaratri celebrations, a local passenger craft ferried 78 persons from Nhava Sheva to Gharapuri. After visiting the Someshwer Shiva temple, when the vessel was making a return journey, it hit a submerged mud patch thereby rendering the engines dead. The boat subsequently started to become unstable in view of the overcrowding,” stated a Coast Guard press release.

“The vessel intimated the local police for help and two civil boats were sent immediately, which proved ineffective due to the treacherous navigation conditions. The Coast Guard was intimated around 4.30 p.m.,” it said.

The Coast Guard hovercraft H-197 was pressed into action. It carried out the rescue and relief operations. Of the 78 pilgrims, 20 were women and 18 children.

The Coast Guard claims that the vessel was carrying more people than what was permitted, and was sailing without life-saving equipment on board. It plans to bring up the issue with the Maharashtra Maritime Board.