Port Blair: A major maritime and ecological crisis was narrowly averted off Great Nicobar after the tri-services Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) swiftly secured a disabled LPG tanker that had lost propulsion and was drifting dangerously towards the island.
The Mozambique-flagged LPG tanker MV Pyra, en route from the UAE to Singapore, sent out a distress call after becoming “Not Under Command”. Responding under ‘Op Lancer’, the ANC deployed Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard ships, supported by three tugboats, to intercept the vessel before it could run aground.
The 224-metre-long tanker, drifting at about 0.5 knots, was safely anchored within India’s territorial waters, preventing what officials described as a potential ecological disaster and a complex salvage operation. Authorities warned that grounding or rupture of the vessel could have led to hazardous cargo leakage, explosion risks and severe damage to the fragile marine ecosystem around Great Nicobar.
A naval technical team has since boarded the vessel to assess the damage and assist in restoring propulsion. The ship’s master has also contacted the owners for further technical support. It remains unclear whether MV Pyra will be repaired at sea or resume its voyage to Singapore under its own power.
The ANC said the successful operation underscored its high state of operational readiness and commitment to safeguarding maritime safety, protecting the marine environment and rendering timely assistance to vessels in distress.
