Andaman and Nicobar Command evacuates 78 stranded persons from Havelock Island

Port Blair, September 19: At least 78 stranded persons including 24 tourists were evacuated on Monday by the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) from Havelock Island to Port Blair who was struck due to heavy rains and braving rough sea.

 

The Andaman and Nicobar Command on Monday released a statement in which it said that a message was received from the civil administration on Sunday that several tourists were stranded in Havelock Island after the cancellation of 'Makruzz', a boat meant for ferrying civilians. Therefore, ANC ferried stranded tourists from Havelock Island to Port Blair, braving rough sea and heavy rains.

The statement said, “it was also intimated that a number of passengers, who had their flights scheduled for this morning, were stranded and required to be brought to Port Blair.” “As the civil ferries to Havelock Island do not ply at night, the ANC had been approached for ferrying the stranded tourists,” the statement added.

Two naval ships including INS Bangaram and INS Battimalv were sailed for the mission despite torrential rains and very rough weather and 24 tourists were evacuated. However, 54 officers from Defence Services Staff College who were on a visit to the islands and got stranded due to the cancellation of 'Makruzz’, were also evacuated.

In December last year, more than 800 tourists stranded in Andaman and Nicobar’s Havelock island due to cyclonic weather conditions and heavy rain. Indian Navy deployed four ships including INS Bitra, Bangaram, Kumbhir and LCU 38 to rescue more than 800 tourists stranded in Andaman and Nicobar’s Havelock island. Interestingly, the Port Blair-based Andaman and Nicobar Command is a joint command of the Indian Armed Forces.