Don’t abandon ship in hurry,US Coast Guard tells Indian crew

“We have been talking to them all night. He (Master) is just adamant getting off the ship,” Wes Parker,Search Rescue Controller,US Coast Guard,said over phone.

All 28 crew members abroad Suryavir are Indians and are safe,the official said. Master of the Suryavir has told the Coast Guard that they would abandon the ship as soon as the 1,100-foot goods American vessel comes to the scene around 10.30 am local time (12.30 am to 1 am India time).

The Coast Guard said its C-130 aircraft would again fly over the area around the same time and could drop a raft or some provisions needed.

“We are hoping that the Master would consider at least waiting till this afternoon when we have day light and the conditions are better a little bit,” Parker said.

“We have winds around 40 knots and sea is approximately 20-25 feet. This afternoon,the weather was supposed to subside to around 15-18 feet,so it is going to be dropping considerably this afternoon,” the official said.

Coast Guard officials said a private commercial ship,the Maersk Altair,was heading towards the stricken Indian ship.

Suryavir was coming from China and possibly headed towards Portland in the US when the engine of the 740-foot almost empty freighter failed.

“There are 28 persons on board. The entire crew is Indian. They are all safe as of now,” Ray Dwyer,Command Duty Officer at Rescue Coordinator Centre,US Coast Guard,Juneau,Alaska,said.

“They have no cargo on board,” he said,adding that this made the ship unstable. However,the ship has now put sea water in its tanks to add some weight.