Chennai:

Battling adverse weather conditions amid the deep depression off the Tamil Nadu coast, a Coast Guard chopper rescued six fishermen who were stranded on a jetty for nearly 36 hours after their boats suffered damage and sank.

Officials said the six fishermen had ventured out into the rough seas in two boats on Wednesday despite a cyclone warning. Their boats sank and they managed to clamber onto a jetty owned by a private company in Cuddalore, roughly 2 km off the coast of Chitrapettai village. They remained stranded there, with the weather getting worse, and the Tamil Nadu government sought the Coast Guard’s help. 

Despite inclement weather, the Coast Guard dispatched an advanced light helicopter from its air station in Chennai.

Videos show the chopper approaching the jetty, lowering a basket and pulling up the fishermen two at a time.

A statement from the Tamil Nadu Government said, “The men were rescued following swift action by the Chief Minister”.

The regional weather office said on Tuesday that the deep depression over the Southwest Bay of Bengal remained practically stationary about 100 km east-northeast of Trincomalee in Sri Lanka and would intensify into a cyclonic storm on Thursday night. 

“(The storm will) cross the north Tamil Nadu-Puducherry coasts between Karaikal and Mahabalipuram around the morning of November 30, as a depression with a wind speed of 50-60 kmph gusting to 70 kmph,” a bulletin from the weather office said.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) also said its satellites have been tracking the storm since last week.

#CycloneFENGAL Update:

ISRO satellites EOS-06 & INSAT-3DR are closely tracking Cyclone FENGAL approaching Tamil Nadu since 23-Nov-2024.

Early Detection: EOS-06 Scatterometer identified ocean wind patterns, providing crucial lead time.
Real-Time Insights:… pic.twitter.com/eFDqtMGTv1

— ISRO (@isro) November 28, 2024

“ISRO satellites EOS-06 & INSAT-3DR are closely tracking Cyclone FENGAL approaching Tamil Nadu since 23-Nov-2024. EOS-06 Scatterometer identified ocean wind patterns, providing crucial lead time. Real-Time Insights: Geostationary INSAT-3DR offers regular updates on intensity & direction. ISRO’s advanced satellite data aids in effective monitoring & mitigation, ensuring safety measures are timely and informed. Stay safe, stay prepared!” ISRO said in a post on X. 

An AeroGulf helicopter crashed into the sea on September 7 evening and a search is underway for its crew of two pilots, UAE’s General Aviation Authority said on September 8.

The pilots of the Bell 212 helicopter are Egyptian and South African citizens, the aviation regulator said.

“The search and rescue teams have recovered the wreckage, and the search is still underway for the plane’s crew, and the air accident investigation team has moved to the site,” the authority added.