In numerous sorties on Wednesday, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) used choppers to save 14 fishermen from a sinking boat off the coast of Daman in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Deputy Inspector General and commanding officer of the Coast Guard Air Station in Daman, SSN Bajpai, said that while three other fishermen who had earlier refused to leave the boat were rescued in the evening, 11 fishermen on a sinking boat were airlifted by a helicopter and brought safely to land in the afternoon.
The fishing boat, which was registered in Mumbai, had departed for Mumbai on Tuesday from Navsari in Gujarat.
"On Tuesday night, the engine failed when the boat was about 16 nautical miles off the coast of Daman. Due to the engine's failure, the boat lacked the power necessary to pump out the water that had entered it. Beyond a certain point, the boat will inevitably sink if water continues to enter it "SSN Bajpai informed journalists.
According to SSN Bajpai, the crew asked for assistance from the Coast Guard after they were unable to start the engine.
The Daman Coast Guard sent a helicopter from its air station and airlifted the 11 fishermen in four sorties after receiving a distress call at 11:35 on Wednesday, according to SSN Bajpai.
"The boat's captain and two other fisherman declined to be rescued because they believed that starting the engine would save their boat. But when they were unable to start, they were evacuated to our air station in the dark by our chopper. They will all be delivered to the department of fisheries "SSN Bajpai remarked.