Barge ‘Atulya’, towed by tug Avadh, en route from the Maldives to India drifted to the Nadukuda coast in Mannar south, on Friday, July 7 evening. The tug consisted of nine crew members who were Indian and Indonesian nationals. Measures to get things back on track are being coordinated by the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) Colombo at the Navy Headquarters. On July 6, MRCC Chennai, India notified MRCC Colombo about a mechanical issue on the Tug Avadh and that it was drifting along with the barge Atulya to Sri Lankan waters.
On the instructions of the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, MRCC Colombo informed of the incident to the agent of the distressed tug Avadh. In preparation for a rescue operation, the local agent of the distressed tug, was informed to dispatch another tug to the area as well. By the afternoon of Friday, July 7, the distressed tug and barge drifted towards the Nadukuda beach, owing to the rough sea and strong winds.
The Sri Lanka Navy is ready to assist the crew of the distressed tug, and remains vigilant to tackle emergencies and provide support.