Aug 12, 2019, 5:42 PM IST
Visakhapatnam: Twenty nine crew members of an offshore support ship jumped into the waters off the Andhra Pradesh coast after a fire broke out on the vessel on Monday morning (August 12), the Indian Coast Guard said in a statement.
A sailor is missing, while the rest have been rescued by the Coast Guard near Visakhapatnam, it said.
In visuals, several small vessels are seen spraying water on the burning offshore support ship.
An explosion was heard on the offshore support vessel Coastal Jaguar at 11:30 am.
A few minutes later, black smoke billowed from the ship, following which the crew had to jump into the water to save themselves.
The cause of fire is yet to be ascertained. The Coast Guard's fast patrol vessel Rani Rashmoni, which was sailing near the area, was diverted to the burning vessel to coordinate the rescue operation with boats of the Visakhapatnam Port Trust, the Coast Guard said.
Two more Coast Guard patrol ships and a helicopter are at the site helping out in rescue and firefighting operations, it said.