According to officials, the incident occurred at around 12.15 pm on Sunday when the ICG ALH MK-III helicopter, on a routine training sortie, crashed while landing at Porbandar airport.
95 Indian fishermen and 90 Bangladeshi fishermen have been handed over to their respective coast guards for a mutual repatriation scheduled to take place on January 5. The exchange has been worked upon keeping in mind the humanitarian and livelihood concerns of fishing communities from both
"Swiftly reacting to international input about drug trafficking from local agencies, the Indian Coast Guard, Mandapam launched ICG Hovercraft for anti-narco ops on Indo-SL IMBL (International Maritime Boundary Line)," it said.
The visit aims not only to strengthen ties between the Vietnam Coast Guard and Indian Coast Guard but also to showcase India's technological advancement in shipbuilding, supporting the concept of "Atamnirbhar Bharat" and Make in India", it added.
"78 Bangladeshi national fishermen were caught the day before yesterday...and had been brought to Paradip Police Station...they were handed over to us for verification and it has been done. Procedures are underway to return them (to Bangladesh)," the DSP said.