Team Goemkarponn
MIRAMAR: Thirteen students from the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dona Paula, were safely rescued by Drishti Marine lifesavers after the fishing trawler they were travelling on ran aground on a sandbar off Miramar beach on Tuesday morning, triggering panic among those onboard.
The incident occurred at around 10.15 am, about 200 metres off the Miramar shoreline, when the trawler, which was carrying the students on a marine study tour, got stuck on a sandbar. Lifesaver captain Shahish Ballikar, who was stationed at Drishti Marine’s newly deployed floating platform ‘Seahorse’ off Miramar beach, noticed the stationary and overcrowded vessel and immediately sprang into action.
Shahish, along with lifesaver Swapnil Khandolkar, launched a jet ski from the Seahorse platform to assess the situation. The trawler crew sought assistance, and an attempt was made to tow the vessel using a rope from a nearby trawler. However, the rope snapped during the initial rescue attempt.
With anxiety rising among the students stranded onboard, Drishti Marine deployed a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) in addition to the jet ski to evacuate the passengers. All 13 students — nine females and four males — were safely transferred from the grounded trawler and brought ashore. No injuries were reported.
Drishti Marine officials said the successful operation highlighted the importance of the Seahorse floating platforms, which have been temporarily deployed ahead of the festive season at high-footfall beaches including Calangute, Candolim and Miramar in North Goa, and Baina in South Goa. These platforms allow lifesavers to maintain surveillance from the sea and significantly reduce response time during water-based emergencies.
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