Indian Navy Rescues Injured Chinese Mariner off Mumbai

The Indian Navy successfully carried out a medical evacuation of an injured Chinese mariner from a bulk carrier off the coast of Mumbai on Wednesday. The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai, received a distress call on July 23 from the bulk carrier ZHONG SHAN MEN, approximately 370 km from Mumbai. The distress call reported a critical injury to a 51-year-old Chinese mariner, resulting in heavy blood loss and necessitating immediate evacuation.

In response, a Seaking helicopter from the Indian Naval Air Station INS Shikra was dispatched at 0550 hrs. Despite challenging weather conditions with winds over 45 knots and heavy rolling of the ship, the Indian Navy personnel successfully airlifted the injured mariner from the bridge wing of the vessel.

The official handle of the Spokesperson of the Indian Navy shared videos and pictures of the operation on X, highlighting the adverse conditions and the successful execution of the evacuation. The post noted, “Challenging weather conditions with winds over 45 knots & heavy rolling of the ship were compounded by non-availability of the continuous deck. The patient was successfully airlifted from the bridge wing of the vessel & transported back to the air station and subsequently shifted to hospital for further medical management.”

Additionally, the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Samrat in the area was diverted to provide assistance, with the safe and timely evacuation being the result of a joint operation coordinated by MRCC (Mumbai) with the Indian Navy.

Netizens praised the Indian Navy for their humanitarian gesture and daring rescue operation. Comments on social media lauded the Navy as “Saviours of the sea” and commended the rescue team’s bravery and professionalism. One user wrote, “Reminds me of a few of our Daredevil SeaKing pilots who had saved many seafarers in adverse weather conditions…Captain P Rajkumar SC, Captain Thapa NM, Captain Shukla NM to name a few. Well Done guys. Keep the breed growing.” Another comment stated, “That’s a great operation by the Indian Navy rescue team and a good gesture to the Chinese sailor. Keep it up the brave Indian Navy.”

This successful operation underscores the Indian Navy’s commitment to maritime safety and humanitarian assistance, reinforcing their role as protectors and saviors of the sea.