51 dead in barge P 305 incident; rescue operation still on

The rescue operation by the Indian Navy to find survivors and recover bodies of the deceased in barge P 305 is still on. The barge went adrift and then sank in the Arabian Sea due to Cyclone Tauktae on Monday. The navy has rescued 188 personnel while 51 people died. The identity of 23 personnel has been established.

Mumbai: The rescue operation by the Indian Navy to find survivors and recover bodies of the deceased in barge P 305 is still on. The barge went adrift and then sank in the Arabian Sea due to Cyclone Tauktae on Monday. The navy has rescued 188 personnel while 51 people died. The identity of 23 personnel has been established.

Fighting adverse weather, Indian Navy warships - INS Beas, INS Betwa and INS Teg started rescue operations along with INS Kochi and INS Kolkata. The navy also used its helicopter in the rescue operation which began on May 17 and continues.

Meanwhile, Yellow Gate police have registered an offence against Captain Rakesh Ballav in the incident. The barge went adrift and later sank in the Arabian Sea under the effect of Cyclone Tauktae. A complaint was filed in this regard by an engineer on the barge Rehman Hussain Shaikh. Despite warning about Cyclone Tauktae the barge was not moved to a safer place and put lives at risk. As a result, many personnel on the barge had to lose their lives and while others got injured.

The relatives of the deceased gathered at J J Hospital to claim bodies on May 21. But the concerned police officers who were to complete the process of handing over the bodies did not arrive. The relatives, therefore, got furious. The fateful barge P 305 and its crew were working for ONGC. There was an argument between the relatives of the deceased and the officials of ONGC on Friday over the incident.

ONGC had assured aid of Rs 5 lakh. The relatives said they will not claim bodies unless senior officials talk to them. The relatives also said that the administration was not very helpful. Mumbai Guardian Minister Aslam Shaikh said that despite the warning of Cyclone Tauktae the barge was out in the sea. ONGC should be held responsible for it. 51 bodies have been recovered. The offence has been registered against the captain of the barge. The concerned contractors will also be booked, assured Aslam Shaikh. He further added that ONGC comes under the central government. Therefore the central government should reach out to the families of the deceased.