Kochi: Following a request from the Lakshadweep administration for towing MV Kavaratti from Androth to Kochi for repairs, the Indian Navy’s INS Shardul, after rehearsing various emergencies, escorted the ship safely to Kochi on December 18, 2021, the Ministry of Defence stated here today.
A fire had broken onboard MV Kavaratti (Lakshadweep Development Corporation Limited run ship) in the starboard engine room on November 30, 2021, which was subsequently extinguished by the crew. However, because of the damage caused by the fire, the ship could not start her engines and had anchored off Androth island on November 30, 2021 awaiting towing assistance for repairs.
The Navy had send INS Shardul to Androth for rendering assistance to the disabled ship on December 16, 2021. It had reached the area on December 17. An expert team of officers and sailors of INS Shardul alongwith Officer-in-Charge Naval Detachment Androth Lieutanant Commander Bishnu C Panda embarked MV Kavaratti on December 17, 2021 and undertook a detailed assessment of the damage.
During the interaction, the Naval crew assisted the crew of MV Kavaratti in starting the ship’s port engine. Towing gears were passed to MV Kavaratti by INS Shardul and towing trials were conducted with MV Kavaratti. The trials provided the much-needed confidence and reassurance to the crew of MV Kavaratti towards towing operations in case of failure of the port main engine en-route, the Ministry stated.
During the transit, personnel from INS Shardul and Naval Detachment Androth were embarked onboard to provide assistance to the MV in case of any machinery breakdown.
– global bihari bureau
