ICG saved over 3,000 lives in 770-odd rescue missions: Data

Mumbai, Oct 16 (PTI) The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has saved nearly 3,200 lives at sea and undertaken over 770 search and rescue missions in response to over 10,000 distress alerts along the western seaboard during the last four years, officials said.

Of these over 10,000 distress alerts in Indian waters on the Western coast, 91.44 per cent turned out to be false or unknown, data showed.

"As many as 10,474 distress alerts were recorded at the Western Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) of the Indian Coast Guard, in which 3,193 people were rescued and 165 were evacuated on medical grounds during 774 missions undertaken from January 2021 to August 2025," official figures said.

Out of the 10,474 distress alerts received during the period, 5,842 turned out to be false while 3,736 were unknown, accounting for 91.44 per cent, the data said.

In comparison, 3,896 people were rescued and 250 medically evacuated in 1,105 missions undertaken by MRCC, which received 12,836 distress alerts during the previous five-year period from January 2016 to 2020, the data said.

Of those 12,836 alerts, about 63 per cent turned out to be false and about 25 per cent unknown, forcing the ICG to battle strongly with the challenge of false and unknown distress alerts.

"Our men and officers are working round the clock to respond quickly to all distress alerts and ensure speedy rescues. We want to ensure safety in our waters," said Inspector General Bhisham Sharma, who commands the Western Seaboard with a 2,160-km stretch of India's coastline.

He said this is a humanitarian task and a joint venture of all stakeholders at sea.

The MRCC rescued 212 people and conduced 29 medical evacuations in 126 missions responding to 1,396 distress alerts this year up to to August, they said.

According to the latest ICG fact sheet, the force carried out 120 ship sorties and 29 aircraft sorties during rescue operations this year, taking the total sorties since its inception to 8,605.

"Since its establishment in 1977, the ICG has saved 11,805 lives and rescued 14,708 people while assisting civil authorities," it said.

Officials said the force is also conducting operations and exercises to better skills of the organisation. In that since 2009, the ICG has conducted 623 operations, 301 exercises, and interacted with over 16,500 coastal communities, they said.

"It has carried out over 3.74 lakh boarding operations and 2.41 lakh very high frequency (VHF) investigations," they added.

"We are keeping a close watch on these monitors and maps in this room. The big satellite monitor gives us real-time data on all ships and tankers at sea. We pay in billions for this system. The aim is to reach out to everyone in distress within our operational area," DIG Bhanu Gupta, who heads the MRCC at the Southern Headquarters, told PTI.

He said the force is increasingly facing challenges due to the rise in false and unknown distress calls. Apart from rescue and humanitarian operations, forces is undertaking stern action narcro smuggling and poaching in seas.

"In anti-poaching operations, the cumulative total has reached 1,638 boats seized and 13,775 fishermen arrested since the force's inception, with foreign crews including nationals from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, China, Myanmar, Indonesia, and others, officials said.

The ICG also interdicted six vessels and apprehended 22 crew members under anti-smuggling and narcotics control operations this year, seizing contraband worth Rs 1,838.36 crore. The total value of contraband seized since inception has risen to Rs 54,399.33 crore, they said.

Under the shepherding of Indian fishing Boats (IFBs) along international boundaries, the ICG escorted 324 boats along the Indo-Pak waters, three along the Indo-Sri Lanka seas, and 37 along the Indo-Bangladesh waters this year, officials added.

One oil spill incident was reported and responded to by the ICG this year, they said.

Since 1999, the force has handled 96 disaster relief operations and 100 oil spill incidents in Indian and international waters, they said.

Established on February 1, 1977, the Indian Coast Guard functions under the Ministry of Defence and plays a key role in ensuring maritime safety, security, and law enforcement across India's vast maritime zones. PTI AB SHS ZMN