Naval Specialist Team to Be Sent on Board Burning Container

Kolkata, Jun 15 (PTI) A Naval specialist team will be dispatched tomorrow along with four members of the crew of container ship MV SSL Kolkata, which is adrift, to drop the anchor of the vessel and prevent it from moving close to the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL) with Bangladesh, a Defence official said today.

A Seaking 42C helicopter with four members of the ill-fated ship and a Naval specialist team from Vizag will take to the air from the Kalaikunda airbase at first light tomorrow morning, and winch down on board SSL Kolkata to drop the anchor.

Stating that continued fire on board the merchant ship and its movement in north-easterly direction towards the IMBL with Bangladesh remains a cause of concern, the Defence official said a meeting of senior officials of the Ministry of Shipping, Kolkata Port Trust, Coast Guard and West Bengal government has taken place.

"Based on the decision of the meeting, Seaking 42C helicopter and Dornier of the Navy from Vizag have been mobilised," the official said.

INS Kadmatt, an anti-submarine warfare corvette of the Navy with ultra-modern facilities, has also been dispatched from Vizag to provide all necessary support, he said.

MV SSL Kolkata was abandoned by its captain and 21 other crew members after the fire engulfed 70 per cent of the ship carrying containerised cargo in the Bay of Bengal, about 55 nautical miles from the Sagar Island in West Bengal yesterday.

The smoke and fire on the upper deck of the ship has reduced, Coast Guard commander (North East) inspector general K S Sheoran said.

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