Singapore Govt. thanks ICG for assistance in Maersk ship blaze

New Delhi [India], Mar 10 (ANI): The Singapore Government, through its maritime and ports authority, on Saturday thanked the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) for its prompt action in extinguishing the fire and search and rescue (SAR) operations after a Maersk container ship caught fire on Tuesday.

In a letter written to Director General of ICG, Rajendra Singh, Chief Executive Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore, Andrew Tan praised the prompt response by the ICG and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (Mumbai) to assist in the fire-fighting and rescue operations for the Singapore-registered container vessel Maersk Honam, which had caught fire in the Arabian Sea.

Tan also expressed his regards and appreciation to the invaluable assistance rendered by the commander and crew on board the ICG ship and other ICG personnel and Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (Mumbai) for assisting off-site, on behalf of the Singapore Government and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.

Also, the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Maersk Group, Soren Toft thanked the ICG for its help in dousing the flames that broke out on the Maersk Honam ship.

With 27 people, including 13 Indians, on board, the Maersk container ship caught fire following an explosion in the Arabian Sea.

The incident took place at about 390 Nautical Miles from India's Agatti Islands at Lakshadweep.

23 people out of 27 have been rescued while search operations are underway to locate the other four missing crew members.

The ICG and the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (Mumbai) are jointly carrying out the rescue operation.

The ship left Singapore on March 1 and was having passage to Suez in Egypt.

The Indian Navy Boeing P8i was launched on Wednesday from Tamil Nadu's Arakkonam to look for the four missing crew members of the Maersk container ship. (ANI)