New Delhi, December 14, 2025 — The Indian Coast Guard carried out a medical evacuation on Saturday of a 62-year-old Ukrainian national who suffered a heart attack aboard the Malta‑flagged merchant vessel MV Interasia Amplify off the coast of Goa. Coast Guard Ship C-420 responded to a distress call and evacuated the patient for urgent medical treatment.
The ICG said the operation reflected its “resolute commitment to safeguard lives at sea,” underscoring the force’s readiness to respond to maritime emergencies at any hour.
In a separate maritime security action earlier this week, the Indian Coast Guard apprehended 11 Pakistani fishermen after their fishing boat, Al Wali, was found inside Indian waters near Jakhau in Gujarat without permission. The interdiction took place on December 10 when Coast Guard units intercepted the vessel inside India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). All 11 fishermen and the boat were brought to Jakhau Port; searches of the vessel and interrogations of the fishermen are ongoing.
The ICG said the interdiction “underscores Bhartiya Tatrakshak’s sustained maritime operations and India’s commitment to securing its maritime frontiers while maintaining robust enforcement of international maritime laws within the MZI.” It added that continuous vigilance across India’s maritime domain remains a cornerstone of national maritime security.
Separately, India and Bangladesh completed a coordinated humanitarian exchange of fishermen who had inadvertently crossed the International Maritime Boundary Line. The Ministry of External Affairs said 47 Indian fishermen and 38 Bangladeshi fishermen, along with their operable vessel, were released and repatriated on December 9, 2025. In January 2025, the government facilitated the release of 95 Indian fishermen and, reciprocally, released 90 Bangladeshi fishermen.
The MEA said the mutual repatriation arrangement is guided by humanitarian concerns and the livelihood needs of fishing communities on both sides.
(ANI)
