Port Blair, Dec. 3: The Indian Coast Guard conducts the National Maritime Search and Rescue (NMSAR) Board meeting, every year, to discuss policy issues, formulate guidelines & procedures, assess the efficacy of National Search and Rescue Plan and also recognise contributions towards SAR by merchant mariners, government owned vessels, maritime fraternity and fishermen.
This year the 19th NMSAR Board meeting was held on 25 Nov 2021 wherein, representatives from the UT of A & N, were conferred with Annual SAR (Search and Rescue) awards, at New Delhi, for exemplary contributions towards saving precious lives at sea,. The awardees included Shri V Raja Rao, a fisherman from Campbell Bay, who was awarded the “SAR Award for Fisherman”, for the year 2021, for saving three precious lives from a sinking fishing boat FB Manikanna, on 24 Jun 21 and the Forest Department of A&N, which was felicitated with the “SAR Award for Ashore Unit”, for rescuing three precious lives of IFB Kokila, drifting off Swaraj Dweep, due to engine failure. These awards recognise the voluntary efforts for saving precious lives at sea and the two awards for personnel from the UT of A&N, validate the collaborative structure of SAR in the islands.
Indian Coast Guard being the nodal agency for Maritime Search and Rescue has dedicated Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCCs) and Maritime Rescue Sub Centres (MRSCs), which are manned 24x7 to respond to distress messages received to coordinate Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. Till date, 10262 lives in distress at sea have been saved by the Coast Guard.