Indian Navy Rescues 132 From Barge During Cyclone Tauktae

The Indian Navy has rescued 132 people on board a barge that went adrift in the Arabia Sea near Mumbai hours before Cyclone Tauktae made landfall on the Gujarat coast.

As per reports, the Indian Navy on Tuesday morning deployed the P-8I long-range, multimission maritime patrol aircraft to join the search and rescue operations, an official was quoted as saying in a PTI report.

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Three frontline Navy warships were deployed on Monday to rescue 410 people on board two barges off the Mumbai coast. The ships deployed to extend assistance to the two barges were INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, and INS Talwar.

The Search and Rescue (SAR) operations continued through the night for the remaining crew, he said.

Gal Constructor, another barge with 137 persons onboard has been adrift off the Colaba Point, eight nautical miles from Mumbai coast due to engine trouble.

These ongoing rescue efforts are being augmented by naval aircraft and helicopters and the SAR efforts will continue through the day, the PTI report added.

Meanwhile, the cyclone made landfall in Gujarat on Monday night and the weakening process is likely to continue for three hours, Indian Meteorological Department said.

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