Paradip: The Indian Coast Guard demonstrated its operational skills and search & rescue (SAR) capabilities during an exercise conducted along Paradip coast in Odisha on Saturday.
A series of drills got underway during the two-day Regional Level Maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) Workshop and Sea Exercise at Paradip held under the aegis of the Coast Guard Regional Headquarters (North East) and coordinated by the Commander Coast Guard (Odisha).
During the event that concluded on Saturday, the Coast Guard carried out a series of drills using ships and helicopters, simulating emergency scenarios such as an aircraft crash at sea to showcase how swift and coordinated rescue operations are executed.
Iqbal Singh Chouhan, Inspector General, Coast Guard (North East), said the force aims to expand its presence in Odisha over the next four to five years.
As part of this plan, the Coast Guard intends to station an offshore patrol vessel at Gopalpur.
Talks are also being held with the state government regarding the development of dedicated jetties. This apart, the Coast Guard has proposed the establishment of a drone and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) station at Dhamra to further strengthen surveillance and response capabilities, he said.
The exercise witnessed the active participation of key SAR stakeholders and resource agencies from across Odisha, including OSDMA, district administration officials, Paradip Port authorities, Customs, Indian Navy, Marine Police, Odisha Police, CISF, the Departments of Fisheries and Forest, and the District Medical Department.
A key highlight of the workshop was the table-top exercise simulating diverse SAR scenarios that tested stakeholders’ preparedness, communication flow, and collaborative decision-making.