Search on for missing officer of ill-fated Singapore vessel

Panaji, May 31 (UNI) The Goa Coast Guard choppers today renewed their search off Karwar coast to trace the missing second officer who jumped from the Singapore vessel 'Ocean Saraya' that bore the brunt of the cyclonic winds and drifted ashore yesterday.

The Coast Guard jawans, on receiving the distress signal from the Singapore-based Executive Ship Management Private Limited, had rushed their helicopters and rescued 20 crew members including the captain and his wife by airlifting them to Karwar, braving inclement weather.

''We have launched the search mission today also with two choppers to trace one of the second officers in the vessel, Azim Juvale an Indian, who is missing after he reportedly lept out of the ship presumably thinking that the vessel was sinking in the darkness in the wee hours,'' Deputy Inspector General of Police commanding the Goa Coast Guard, R M Sharma, told UNI.

The latest report, he said, was that the ship was ''stable on rocks'' as against yesterday's stage of tilting. It had earlier drifted to 'Oyster Rocks' area as it got stuck in inclement weather that played havoc in Karnataka.

The brand new vessel, 230 metre long and 32 metre wide with 650 tonnes of fuel, was expected to carry iron ore from Karwar. All the crew members except one are now safe as they were airlifted to Karwar port, Mr Sharma said.

Even the evaluators of the P&I overseas insurers visited the area to assess the situation.

Meanwhile, the Coast Guard is maintaining high alert in view of the advanced monsoon and inclement weather conditions on and off the shore in Goa.

The fishermen have been advised not to venture into the sea as a precautionary measure.

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