The Indian Coast Guard rescued a foreign-flagged tanker carrying 9,000 tonnes of palm oil after its main engine failed and ballast tanks began flooding off the Odisha coast. The incident left the vessel dangerously tilted, but all 23 crew members were evacuated safely and the tanker was stabilised without a major pollution incident.

The Belize-flagged MT Seagull 9 issued a distress call at about 7.30am on Sunday, while it was 37 nautical miles east-southeast of Paradip. Coast chief public relations officer Commandant Amit Uniyal said the Coast Guard responded by deploying the offshore patrol vessel ICGS Vishwast to the stricken tanker.

A specialised damage-control team boarded the vessel despite difficult conditions and began de-flooding operations with submersible pumps and other equipment. The team stopped the flooding, sealed two damaged seawater pipelines and contained a third fractured line, preventing the tanker’s condition from worsening. A pollution-control vessel and another offshore patrol vessel were also sent to the area for additional support and continuous surveillance.

After the vessel was stabilised, its crew and the Coast Guard team carried out cargo-transfer and de-flooding operations at the same time, reducing the risk of capsizing. A Coast Guard Dornier aircraft operating from Bhubaneswar monitored the tanker and nearby waters. A minor palm-oil sheen detected near the vessel on Sunday had completely dissipated during follow-up aerial surveillance on Monday, although pollution-response measures remain in place as a precaution.

Paradip Port Authority tug Dolphin later took MT Seagull 9 under tow towards the anchorage area off Paradip. Repairs to the main engine are underway with technical assistance from ICGS Vishwast, while specialised Coast Guard assets continue to provide operational support and maintain surveillance.

The Coast Guard said the emergency response would precede the National Maritime Search and Rescue exercise scheduled for October 8 off Paradip. The agency is responsible for maritime law enforcement, protecting offshore assets, securing sea lanes, responding to emergencies, combating marine pollution and providing humanitarian assistance.