Paradip, Oct 8 (IANS) Maritime and aeronautical agencies on Thursday came together to operational readiness, interoperability and coordinated response to mass rescue operations at sea during an exercise conducted by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) off Paradip in Odisha, an official said.
The 12th National Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise (SAREX-2026) was conducted under the aegis of the National Maritime Search and Rescue Board (NMSARB), the official said in a statement.
Themed “Leveraging Technology to Strengthen SAR Preparedness and Maritime Safety”, the exercise brought together maritime and aeronautical agencies to demonstrate operational readiness, the statement said, adding that SAREX-2026 was reviewed by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani.
The exercise saw the participation from Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, Shipping Corporation of India, Directorate General of Shipping, Fisheries, Customs, Marine Police, Paradip Port Authority, and Odisha administration.
As many as 32 observers from 30 countries participated in the exercise, marking a significant step towards strengthening international cooperation in maritime search and rescue, the statement said.
Their participation facilitated exchange of best practices, enhanced global interoperability and reaffirmed India’s role as a dependable maritime search and rescue partner in the region, it added.
The assets deployed included 15 Coast Guard ships, three Dornier aircraft, three Advance Light Helicopters, one Chetak helicopter, IAF C-130J and Mi-17 aircraft, two Indian Navy ships, along with civil and state resources and shore-based support units.
The sea drill simulated a mass rescue operation following a concurrent aeronautical and maritime distress emergency, the statement said.
As part of the scenario, a passenger aircraft carrying 228 persons ditched at sea near Paradip Port, with the fuselage impacting the container vessel MV Zumba, resulting in structural damage and fire, it added.
The exercise involved activation of the Incident Command Post, firefighting operations, helicopter evacuations, deployment of life rafts and air-droppable life rafts, Jason Cradle and Gemini recovery, rescue basket operations and scramble net procedures.
The exercise also included a demonstration of Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) capability.
–IANS
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