Rescuers still to find lost crew

Chirag Madia & Rajshri Mehta

The fate of eight persons, including city-based Captain Gurbachan Singh of Samudrika-10 offshore supply vessel of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) remained unaccounted, more than a day after the vessel sunk off Bombay High. Of 17 persons on board, nine were rescued immediately.

The incident occurred at 12.30 pm on July 9 when amid high swells and battering waters of around four meters and wind velocity of 35 knots, Samudrika-10 which was deployed in Bombay High at about 56 nautical miles from Mumbai, sank as sea water entered in the engine room.

On the confusion on the number of persons on board the vessel (ONGC had reported 14 people), Chennai-based Sical Logistics Ltd, which was operating the ONGC-owned vessel said that since the sea was rough, the Captain wanted all the 17 crew members to be present on the trip to one of the ONGC installations.