Visakhapatnam, October 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Indian Coast Guard has rescued all 20 crew members of a Singapore-bound cargo ship stranded in rough seas off the Andhra Pradesh coast following the passage of very severe cyclonic storm Arnab.
The high-risk rescue operation was carried out near Antarvedi on Thursday after the Marshall Islands-flagged bulk carrier MV Sigma Pearl ran aground following an engine failure.
The Coast Guard deployed its Offshore Patrol Vessel Sujay and a helicopter to evacuate the crew members. Mogalthur village in West Godavari district was used as a helipad for the operation, during which all 20 sailors were safely rescued.
According to the Coast Guard, its advance preparations, coastal surveillance and deployment of Disaster Response Teams along the Andhra coast helped ensure that no lives were lost at sea. The operation was completed within 24 hours of the distress communication.
The vessel had been returning to Singapore after unloading cargo at Visakhapatnam port when it encountered trouble. It departed from the port at around 12.17 a.m. on October 27, as Cyclone Arnab was approaching the Andhra coast. The ship was reportedly navigating near the Ravva oilfield when its engine failed, leaving it stranded in rough seas.
Cyclone Arnab crossed the Andhra Pradesh coast in the early hours of October 28 as a very severe cyclonic storm, with maximum sustained wind speeds of 125-135 kmph and gusts reaching 150 kmph. The India Meteorological Department said the landfall process continued for around six hours, ending at 8 a.m.
The cyclone claimed seven lives and caused extensive damage in coastal districts, uprooting thousands of trees and electricity poles and affecting crops.
The Coast Guard’s rescue operation brought all 20 crew members of the stranded vessel to safety amid challenging sea conditions.
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