Port Blair, July 21: On receipt of information from State Emergency Operation Centre, Port Blair regarding ‘Deep Ocean Tsunami Detection Buoy’, reported to be adrift in north Andaman Sea, Indian Coast Guard immediately launched sea-air coordinated search operation to locate and recover the buoy. Coast Guard aircraft deployed for aerial search, located the buoy on the shores of West Island, and relayed the coordinates to Coast Guard Ship operating in area. Despite rough weather and high swell, Indian Coast Guard Ship Rajveer successfully recovered the buoy on 19 Jul 20 and towed this important Ocean Observing Instrument to Diglipur.

The buoy was deployed by National Disaster Warning Centre (NDWC), Thailand in Bay of Bengal for monitoring wave height and to provide early Tsunami warning. The buoy is reported to be broken free from its mooring due to rough weather and drifted to North Andaman Sea making landfall on the shores of West Island. NDWC, Thailand approached Directorate of Disaster Management, Port Blair to seek assistance of Indian Coast Guard for locating and recovery of the buoy.

The buoy is cylindrical in shape with 2.6 Mtr dia and weighs around 4000 kgs approx. The buoy is being handed over to Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) for subsequent handing over to NDWC, Thailand.

‘Indian Coast Guard is committed in its endeavours to reinforce international cooperation in the Region and such operations not only strengthen our relation with national stake holders but also goes along with our vision of extending helping hand to our neighbouring countries’.