New Delhi has initiated diplomatic efforts to persuade the Turkish authorities to resume its search operations for the 25-member all-Indian crew of Panamanian cargo vessel.
Efforts are on to persuade the country to resume the search
MUMBAI: New Delhi has initiated diplomatic efforts to persuade the Turkish authorities to resume its search operations for the 25-member all-Indian crew of Panamanian cargo vessel mv Rezzak which went missing in the Black Sea on February 18.
DNA had reported on February 25 that all crew members of Rezzak were feared dead as weather conditions at the time of the incident were extermely rough in the high seas. The cargo carrier — carrying iron billets — was managed by CMR Denizcilik ve Ticaret of Turkey and had left Novorossiysk in Russia on February 17 and was to reach Bartin Port in Turkey the following morning. The vessel’s manning agency was Pelican Marine of Mumbai.
“The Mumbai unit of the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) on Saturday received a communique from Turkish authorities which said they have stopped search and rescue operations for the mission Indian crew members,” said deputy director general of shipping PH Krishnan.
Sources in the ministry of shipping said talks with the Turkish authorities are on and the DG Shipping would be sending one of its officials to Turkey on Tuesday to oversee things.
“We are leaving nothing to chance and hence efforts are on to coordinate afresh with the Turkish coastguards and allied marine units in that country,” said captain Deepak Kapoor, nautical surveyor with DG Shipping. However, eyebrows were being raised about the ‘seaworthiness’ of Rezzak as local shipping officials here said the vessel may be more than 20 years old.
Sources here said they have reasons to believe that the Turlisk search mission was massive in scope and launched after a proper evaluation of many of the variables -such as aircraft endurance, weather in the area, wind, sea currents, survival gear used - that remain crucial to marine rescue operation being mounted.
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