Udupi: Coastal Security Police (CSP), Udupi and Coast Guard Karnataka coordinated a rescue operation of 7 fishermen, who were stranded at a rock near Saint Mary’s Island at about 6 Kms from Malpe on September 6, 2016.

Fishing boat ‘Gopi Sagar’ owned by Jaya Kunder had left Malpe for fishing with 7 fishermen on August 28, 2016. The boat had collided against a rock near Saint Mary’s Island and developed a crack leading to heavily flooding.

All the seven fishermen managed to climb a nearby rock for survival and were stranded there. At about 10.35pm on September 5, CSP intimated the incident to Indian Coast Guard Karnataka district headquarters here. On receipt of information, ICGS Rajdoot was sailed from New Mangalore Port at 11.30pm for the search and rescue (SAR) mission. The ship arrived at the site at 4.45am on September 6 and coordinated the SAR mission with personnel of CSP.

Due to shallow waters around the rock, ICGS Rajdoot used its Gemini boat for the joint rescue operation. The CSP safely evacuated all seven crew members in distress to Malpe harbour at 6.50am on using a smaller fishing boat.