Coast Guard conducts massive SAR Exercise in Andaman

Port Blair, Nov 16 (UNI) The Indian Coast Guard today conducted a massive maritime multi-agency search and rescue exercise (SAREX-07)in the Andaman Sea to test its operational plans while responding to an 'emergency' involving a passenger ship.

Director General of the Coast Guard Vice-Admiral R F Contractor was present on board CGS Varuna to witness the Search and Rescue Exercise.

During the drill, all the rescue agencies that are part of the Coast Guard-led National Maritime SAR Coordinating Authority (NMSARCA) 'responded to the hypothetical emergency scenario'.

" We will learn many things from exercise like this. The exercise will help us in fine-tuning the laid down procedures to emergency response by personnel to manage and respond' to an emergency at sea," the Vice-Admiral said.

The exercise was a test for the preparedness of the national and local authorities and other emergency services for dealing with a SAR operation under the guidelines mandated by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).

Members of the Central Government, Coastal State governments, NGO's of seafearers beside the Andaman Administration, Police, DSS, SCI, Fisheries, AAI, BSNL, local Health Department, Port Control Board alongwith Coast Guard, Navy and Air Force participated in this exercise.

Talking to mediapersons today during the exercise , that started here yesterday, the Director General expressed his happiness over the role of Coast Guard played in theislands.

UNI