16 more bodies found, search operations suspended for Barge P-305

Search and rescue operations for Barge P-305 were suspended on Thursday with the recovery of 16 more bodies, taking the total number of casualties due to cyclone Tauktae on the ONGC’s vessel to 86. The bodies were recovered along the Maharashtra coast by teams of Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard, and their identification was under process with the local authorities and ONGC, said officials.

On Friday, the Centre released a financial package of ₹1,000 crore to the Gujarat government. The relief money was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the coastal state soon after the cyclone that killed 67 people in Gujarat alone. As per reports available with the Union home ministry, out of 274 people on board Barge P-305, 188 were rescued while bodies of 86 were found during the search operations involving wrecks of the vessel and its service boat, Varaprada.

For the search operations lasting 10 days, the navy deployed nine ships and seven immediate support vessels, with 15 helicopters and surveillance aircraft pressed into service. A three-member committee headed by director general hydrocarbons is likely to submit its findings on vessels drifting into the sea during cyclone Tauktae by next month, said officials.


The panel is examining the sequence of events.