Ship 'Viraat-1' had met with an accident near Oman, the ship had 14 Indians on board

Suspense Crime, Digital Desk : US Navy arrived right after receiving the information, then…Swift action by the US Navy, coordinated by Indian Navy ensures the safe rescue of 14 Indian sailors aboard the sinking Indian cargo vessel MSV Viraat-1 off the coast of Oman.A successful joint operation led by US Navy and the Indian Navy on Sunday morning ensured the safe rescue of 14 Indian sailors who were aboard the Indian cargo boat MSV Viraat-1 off the coast of Oman. Maritime sources and Indian Navy officials stated that the Indian-flagged cargo vessel suddenly started sinking Sunday morning, 80 nautical miles southeast of Ras Al Hadd, Oman and crew issued distress signal. There was no casualty among the 14 Indian sailors but given the rate at which water was seeping through the wooden hull of the aging boat, it could have sunk within hours.US Poseidon takes chargeAn advanced maritime patrol aircraft of the US Navy called P-8 Poseidon on routine maritime patrol was the first to reach the incident site. The crew members of the US Navy's advanced aircraft kept on circling the boat at a low altitude while keeping an eye on the stranded sailors who have now taken to the life raft with no Indian crew member being injured. The crew of the P-8 Poseidon aircraft was the first to reach and dropped life rafts near the sailors for their easy boarding.The US aircraft then immediately informed the other nearby vessels for rescue. The closest commercial vessel that arrived to help the sailors was the 155 meters long Ro-Ro cargo vessel MV Jabel Ali-9 which was plying under the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis, and sailing from Sohar, Oman to Mumbai. At the direction of the US aircraft, the captain of MV Jabel Ali-9 immediately altered the course for the life rafts carrying the Indian sailors. Within an hour's quick rescue operation, all 14 Indian sailors were rescued and have now been taken aboard MV Jabel Ali-9.Response of Indian NavyAfter receiving a warning from the US Navy, Indian Navy launched its operation. Warships and support vessels of the Indian Navy stationed in the Arabian Sea were directed towards MV Jabel Ali-9. An Indian Navy spokesman confirmed saying, we are prepared for all eventualities to secure the safety of our citizens and we are indebted to the US for timely assistance. The Indian Embassy in Muscat was immediately in touch with Oman's Maritime security agencies,port authorities and health ministry. All rescued sailors are stated to have received medical check-ups at the port and were declared healthy and sound. Marine experts also say that the ship MSV Viraat-1 has been there for ages and probably had structural damage due to woodworm that was eating it from inside and the quick sinking was due to strong winds and moderate waves that filled the boat with water in no time.An investigation has been launched by marine authorities to look into the exact cause of the ship sinking and the result are awaited. Sources claimed the boat MSV Viraat-1 had become very old and hence probably caused its swift sinking, adding that there were light winds and moderate waves prevailing at the time and space at which the boat started to sink, which might have contributed to the speedy sinkage. The Indian Navy and marine authorities are further investigating the reason for the sinking of the ship.Maritime tensionsIt may be noted that this rescue operation comes amid heightened maritime security tensions in the Gulf of Oman, the Arabian Sea and the Strait of Hormuz. Following the recent attacks on commercial ships in the area, India had summoned the US Charge d'Affaires and handed over a strongly worded protest note saying use of any force against civilian vessels and sailors was totally unacceptable. The NUSI (National Union of Seafarers of India) and other maritime bodies have appealed to the international community and nations to consider maritime security and humanitarian needs a top priority despite regional tensions.