26 dead, 49 missing after barge sinks into Arabian Sea due to Cyclone Tauktae

In a tragic news, at least 26 persons on board the drifting Barge Papaa-305 were killed after it sank in the Arabian Sea in the aftermath of Cyclone Tauktae. As many as 186 survivors were rescued while another 49 are still missing, as the Centre ordered a probe into the incident.

The barge sank in the stormy Arabian Sea 35 nautical miles from Mumbai under the impact of cyclone Tauktae, informed the Indian Navy on Wednesday. As the cyclone ravaged the Maharashtra coastal areas and whirled towards Gujarat, the ill-fated barge in the offshore development area of Bombay High Field had sunk late on Monday night.

The search and rescue operation for the missing is underway. 

The navy also rescued two more persons from a tugboat, Varaprada which went adrift in the Arabian Sea due to the cyclonic storm. The people on board two other barges and an oil rig are also safe, said navy personnel. 

Amit Kumar Kushwaha, who was rescued from Barge P305, said, "The Barge was sinking, so I had to jump into the sea. I was in the sea for 11 hours. After that the Navy rescued us."

The Barge P305 started drifting after its anchors gave way off the Heera Oil Fields in Bombay High as cyclonic storm Tauktae brushed past the western coast. The rescue operations by the navy were undertaken in extreme weather conditions and in very rough seas.

The Indian Navy has so far saved around 190 persons from that Barge, besides many more from other stranded or drifting vessels in one of the biggest search and rescue operations mounted under extreme weather conditions.

Rescue operations are still continuing in the Arabian Sea as the weather conditions improved since this morning.