Lakshadweep-bound cargo vessel sinks near Mangaluru; Coast Guard rescues six crew members

Indian Coast Guard rescues six crew members from sinking cargo vessel MSV Salamath off Mangaluru coast.

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) rescued six crew members of the cargo vessel MSV Salamath, which sank approximately 60-70 nautical miles southwest of Mangaluru in the early hours of Wednesday, May 14.

Preliminary reports indicate that the vessel, which departed Mangaluru Port on May 12 en route to Kadmat Island in Lakshadweep, began flooding at 5:30 a.m. on May 14, leading to its sinking. The vessel was carrying a mixed cargo of cement and construction materials. According to a Coast Guard release on May 16, the exact cause of flooding remains unknown.

At 12.15 p.m. on May 14, the coast guard received a distress alert from MT Epic Susui, a transiting vessel, reporting the sighting of a small boat adrift with six survivors onboard, approximately 52 nautical miles off the coast of Surathkal, Karnataka, it said.

The Coast Guard ship Vikram, which was on routine patrol in the area, was immediately diverted to the location. The Coast Guard team swiftly located and safely recovered all six survivors from the dinghy.

The rescued crew members, identified as Ismail Shareef, Alemun Ahmed Bhai Ghavda, Kakal Suleman Ismail, Akbar Abdul Surani, Kasam Ismail Mepani, and Azmal, abandoned the sinking vessel and boarded a small dinghy, where they were later spotted.

Following their rescue, the survivors were administered first aid and transported safely to New Mangaluru Port on May 15. The release said local authorities will conduct further interviews with the rescued crew members to ascertain the circumstances that led to the vessel’s sinking.