A fishing vessel named Marthoma was involved in a collision with an Indian Navy submarine approximately 70 nautical miles off the Goa coast on Thursday. This incident has prompted a comprehensive search and rescue operation to locate two crew members from the Marthoma who remain unaccounted for.
In response to the emergency, the Indian Navy swiftly initiated search and rescue efforts, deploying six ships and aircraft to the area. As a result of these efforts, eleven of the thirteen crew members aboard the fishing vessel were rescued safely. The Indian Navy spokesperson confirmed that additional assets, including those from the Coast Guard, have also been mobilized to assist in the ongoing operation.
At the time of the collision, the Navy submarine was on transit along the West Coast. While the search operation is underway, details regarding any damage sustained by the submarine in the incident have yet to be reported.
In the wake of the collision, the Indian Navy has announced a high-level investigation to ascertain the circumstances surrounding the incident. This is a critical step for the Navy, especially following prior maritime accidents, including an incident earlier this year where the warship INS Brahmaputra sank at a Mumbai dockyard after a fire broke out during maintenance. Currently, the Navy is focused on repairs to make the INS Brahmaputra seaworthy again.
As the situation develops, the Navy and Coast Guard remain committed to ensuring the safety of all personnel involved and will continue their concerted efforts to locate the missing crew members.
