Indian Navy Deploys P8I Aircraft To Rescue 39 Crew On Chinese Fishing Vessel That Sank

In response to a request from the Chinese Navy, the Indian Navy has offered assistance in the search for a Chinese fishing vessel with 39 crew members onboard that sank in the Indian Ocean. China sought help from multiple countries, including India, to aid in the rescue operation of the capsized vessel, which has been located in the central region of the Indian Ocean since Tuesday.

The Indian Navy deployed its 'Air MR assets' in the Southern Indian Ocean Region to assist in the rescue of the sinking Chinese fishing vessel. Despite adverse weather conditions, the Indian Navy's P8I aircraft conducted multiple extensive searches and located several objects that potentially belong to the sunken vessel. In response to the request from the Chinese PLA(N) ships, the Indian aircraft deployed search and rescue equipment at the scene, as confirmed by the Indian Navy spokesperson.

On Thursday, two bodies were discovered during the ongoing search for the missing crew members, according to China's state media. The search operation, which followed the capsizing of the Lu Peng Yuan Yu 028, successfully found and salvaged the remains of two victims, as reported by Xinhua news agency. However, no details regarding the nationalities of the bodies were provided.

The capsized boat is located within Australia's extensive search-and-rescue region, approximately 5,000 kilometers west of Perth, the capital of Western Australia, according to Beijing's ambassador to Canberra. Australia has dispatched three aircraft and four ships to assist in the international search-and-rescue efforts, and the Chinese ambassador has urged Australia to provide additional aircraft, ships, and personnel for the search.

The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has identified a remote 12,000 square kilometer zone in the Indian Ocean for search operations based on drift modeling. The AMSA is also collaborating with the China Meteorological Administration to predict the drift of the missing crew members and is enhancing coordination with search and rescue agencies in Australia, the Maldives, and Sri Lanka, as per their spokesperson.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin expressed that Chinese and foreign vessels have arrived at the relevant waters to conduct search and rescue operations for the capsized fishing vessel, known as "Lupeng Yuanyu 028." He assured that efforts would continue in collaboration with relevant parties to locate the missing individuals.