Indian Coast Guard tows unstable chemical tanker and averts oil spill off Paradip

A distress signal from the foreign chemical tanker MT Seagull 9 prompted the Indian Coast Guard to launch a rapid rescue operation off the coast of Paradip in Odisha. The ICG dispatched the patrol vessel ICGS Vishwast, a damage-control team, a pollution-control vessel and an offshore patrol vessel to the location. The team boarded the unstable ship, used submersible pumps to remove water from its ballast tanks and sealed damaged sea-pipelines, preventing a capsizing and stabilising the vessel.

An ICG Dornier aircraft later reported that the small palm-oil sheen observed earlier had completely disappeared. The tanker, loaded with 9,000 MT of palm oil and crewed by 23 seafarers, is now being towed safely toward Paradip while ICG units continue to monitor the area. This operation follows a recent ICG rescue of crew from a collision near Kandla, Gujarat.