2 Missing After Indian Navy Submarine Collides With Fishing Vessel; Massive Search Operation Underway

Mumbai: Two crew members of a fishing vessel have been missing since it collided with an Indian Navy submarine, about 70 nautical miles off the Goa coast.

A large-scale rescue operation to locate the two missing fishermen has been launched, reported PTI.

“An Indian fishing vessel Marthoma with a crew of 13 reportedly collided with an Indian Naval unit on November 21 about 70 nm northwest of Goa,” an Indian Navy spokesperson said.

Eleven of the crew members have been rescued, while Mumbai’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) is coordinating the search operation to find the other two persons.

An Indian Navy spokesperson said all resources, from the Coast Guard and other agencies, have been mobilised and diverted to the area of the mishap to assist rescue efforts.

The Navy has deployed six ships and several surveillance aircraft to facilitate the rescue mission.

According to officials, the fishing vessel collided with a Scorpene class submarine, which is a crucial part of India’s naval force and executes a wide range of functions such as anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, mine laying and area surveillance.

Indian Navy have ordered a high-level inquiry into the collision, saying it’s too early to tell how it happened.