All 20 crew members aboard the grounded bulk carrier Sigma Pearl (IMO: 9414773) were rescued on Thursday after a high-risk operation by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), even as Cyclone Arnab continues to lash India's eastern coast.
The Marshall Islands-flagged ship had grounded at the offshore oil and gas field of Ravva, located in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) Basin, off the coast of Andhra Pradesh's Antarvedi.
Visuals from the scene show an ICG helicopter rescuing the last of the 20 crew members from the ship, despite strong winds and rough tide.
The high-risk operation
AIS trackers show that after unloading its sulphur cargo at the Visakhapatnam Port, the ship had set sail for Singapore at around 12:17 AM on October 27, just hours before Cyclone Arnab—then rated 'very severe'—made landfall at Yanam early on October 28.
However, the attempt to leave for Singapore before the cyclone failed, as the ship developed propulsion problems, as per a Deccan Herald report, citing sources in the know.
This caused the ship to drift, and left it helpless in the face of the gale-force winds associated with Cyclone Arnab, initially reaching speeds of 125-135km/h, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). These winds then pushed the drifting ship off course and towards the coast near the Ravva, from where it ran aground.
Despite strong winds, the Indian Coast Guard quickly deployed a helicopter and its Samarth-class Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) Sujay to start rescue operations. 13 crew members were taken to the Mogalthur village in West Godavari district, which has a helipad, after which the remaining seven onboard were rescued later on.
The Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), port authorities, and other maritime agencies are monitoring the incident in coordination with the Konaseema district administration.
Cyclone Arnab had already weakened by Thursday, with the IMD downgrading it from 'very severe' to 'severe'. Maritime authorities intend to tow the Sigma Pearl after cyclonic conditions have passed, after which a probe will be launched to determine why its engine failed.
