On August 19, the 100 meter long, 4798 dwt cargo vessel EFES (IMO: 9197686) caught fire in the Bay of Bengal some 540 miles east of Chennai, India. The EFES was en route to Port Klang from Visakhapatnam when it reported a fire on board the vessel. Authorities have requested vessels in the area to assist. No further details reported.
On July 24, the 121 meter long, 7933 dwt bulk carrier JSW Raigad (IMO: 9797319) went aground off Kolaba Fort, India. The JSW Raigad had been at anchor when bad weather and strong winds caused it’s anchor to drag. The bulker drifted until it ran aground on the rocks. The JSW Raigad sustained hull damage and it’s engine room sustained flooding. The crew alerted the Indian Coast Guard that the vessel was in distress and needed rescue.
The Indian Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to the scene and safely evacuated all 14 crew to the nearby shoreline. No reports of injuries.
On April 9, the barge Tofa Arif 4 sank on the Hooghly River near Kulpi, West Bengal, India. The barge was returning to Bangladesh after loading fly ash at Kolaghat when it was caught in a storm. The crew anchored the barge to ride out the storm, but another vessel collided with it and its anchor line parted. The barge went adrift and the vessel sustained water ingress. The Tofa Arif 4 continued to drift until it became stuck on a sandbar. The Tofa Arif 4 later sank on the high tide. All eight crew members were rescued and placed in quarantine (covid-19 protocols). No reports of injuries. Authorities have reported concerns the fly ash pollution has been released into the river.
A barge allided and sunk on the Muriganga River near Kachubaria Ghat. The barge had struck a high-voltage power tower resulting in hull damage and water ingress. The 10 crew on board were safely rescued from a rescue boat from Swamiji Sangha. The barge would partially sink adjacent to the tower. No reports of injuries.
