barge ‘Atulya’, towed by the tug ‘Avadh’, en route from the Maldives to India, drifted to the Nadukuda coast in Mannar south, northwest of Sri Lanka, yesterday evening. The tug consists of nine (9) crew members who are Indian and Indonesian nationals. Meanwhile, necessary measures to get things back on track as per the procedure are currently being coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo at the Navy Headquarters. BAccordingly, on the instructions of the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, MRCC Colombo informed the ship’s operator, the distressed tug ‘Avadh, of the incident.
In preparation for a rescue operation, the local agent of the distressed tug, which was drifting towards Sri Lankan waters in adverse weather, was also informed to despatch another tug to the area as well.
By the afternoon of July 7, the distressed tug and barge had drifted towards the Nadukuda beach area in the south of Mannar, owing to the rough sea and strong wind. As per the procedure, necessary measures are currently underway to fix the tug, under the coordination of MRCC Colombo.
The Sri Lanka Navy is prepared to provide necessary assistance to the crew of the distressed tug and remains vigilant to tackle emergencies and provide essential support.
