Cyclone Tauktae: Barge P-305 located on seabed, tugboat untraceable

Barge P305, which sank off the Mumbai coast six days ago during Cyclone Tauktae, was located on the seabed on Saturday.

The Defence Public Relations Officer said, "Barge P305 located at the seabed after a systematic search by INS Makar employing advanced side-scan sonar. Search efforts for remaining crews of P305 and Tug Varaprada continue."

The Navy has deployed specialised diving teams to boost the search and rescue operations (SAR).


"To augment the ongoing SAR ops for the missing crew of Barge P305 and Tug Varaprada, specialised diving teams onboard INS Makar with side-scan sonar and INS Tarasa sailed out early morning today from Mumbai," the Navy spokesperson tweeted.

INS Makar was able to locate the barge on the seabed, the Indian Navy said.

The Mumbai Police in a Saturday morning update said 61 bodies have so far been recovered from the Arabian Sea days after the Barge P305 sank off the Mumbai coast during Cyclone Tauktae.

"Barge P305 incident: A total of 61 bodies recovered by Mumbai police. At least 26 bodies handed over to the relatives of the deceased after post mortem and other formalities from JJ Hospital," Mumbai Police said in a statement.

Indian Navy on Saturday informed that the Search and Rescue Operations for the crew of Barge P305 and Tug Varapradha will be augmented by specialised diving teams onboard INS Makar (with sonar) and INS Tarasa.

The crew was affected as the cyclonic storm 'Tauktae' brushed past the western coast on Monday, due to which the barge sank.