Coast Guard Rescues All 20 Sailors From Stranded Ship

All 20 sailors aboard the bulk carrier Sigma Pearl are safe after the Indian Coast Guard rescued them off Andhra Pradesh. The ship was stranded near Antarvedi during Cyclone Arnab, and officials said the rescue was complete by Thursday evening. The crew was returning to Singapore after unloading cargo at Visakhapatnam port. ¹⁰

The stranded ship lost control in strong winds and rough seas, with an engine or drive problem also suspected. The Coast Guard sent its patrol vessel Sujay and prepared helicopter help. Thirteen sailors were first moved to Sujay, before the service confirmed all 20 had been evacuated. The ship flies the Marshall Islands flag and was stranded near Antarvedi and Mogalthur in West Godavari district. ^3,10

The rescue took place as Arnab’s heavy rain and flooding cut off communities and disrupted travel across the region. In southern Odisha, Patrapur recorded 546 millimetres of rain in 24 hours, while floods affected hundreds of villages in Ganjam and Gajapati. The Coast Guard also began flying people out of flood-hit Ganjam, where some residents were stranded. Water above danger levels near railway bridges forced cancellations and route changes on the Ichchapuram-Jhadupudi rail section. ^9,14,16

The rail disruption shows how a storm’s effects can continue after its winds weaken: floodwater can make tracks unsafe and cut off people who need help. Coast Guard crews have completed the ship evacuation, but officials still need to check Sigma Pearl for damage and possible fuel leaks. Railway services will resume only after water levels fall and the affected track is declared safe. ^10,14