Indian Coast Guard rescues all crew members of Philippine cargo vessel stranded in Bay of Bengal due to Cyclone Arnab

The Indian Coast Guard on Thursday evening rescued all 20 crew members of the Philippine cargo vessel Sigma Pearl after it was stranded in the Bay of Bengal off the Andhra Pradesh coast amid adverse weather conditions caused by severe Cyclone Arnab on Wednesday afternoon, an official statement said.

The vessel, which was carrying sulphur, reportedly suffered an engine failure while sailing from Visakhapatnam to Singapore after unloading cargo at the port. Unable to continue its voyage amid rough seas and strong winds, the ship drifted off course and ran aground near Antarvedi–Mogaltur, close to the Ravva oil field in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) Basin.

“The rescue operation was completed by Thursday evening, averting a potential maritime emergency,” the statement said.

The rescue operation

The Indian Coast Guard launched a rescue operation after receiving information about the vessel's predicament. Coast Guard personnel mobilised from the Mogaltur area in West Godavari district, deploying Coast Guard ship “Sujay” to assist the stranded vessel and evacuate its crew.

According to the official statement, 13 crew members were initially rescued and transferred safely to Sujay. The rescue operation subsequently continued to evacuate the remaining crew, with Coast Guard personnel working in difficult sea conditions and helicopter support deployed to facilitate the operation.

“All 20 crew members were eventually rescued by Thursday evening,” the statement said.

While the crew have been rescued, the condition of the stranded vessel remains a concern. Port officials and maritime authorities are monitoring the situation, and a detailed inspection is expected to determine the extent of damage and the next course of action.

The statement said Sigma Pearl is a bulk carrier owned by Pearl Marine Ltd-MAI, with Pioneer Marine Advisers Pte. serving as its commercial and ISM manager. The vessel sails under the Marshall Islands flag and has a deadweight capacity of 32,688 tonnes, it added.