INDIAN COAST GUARDS READY FOR REGIONAL RESCUE MISSION

NEW DELHI, April 25 (Bernama) -- Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is prepared to expand its patrolling and rescue mission close to its boundary lines in Southeast Asia regional waters during emergencies, said a top navy officer.

ICG director-general Vice-Admiral Anil Chopra said India, which was
modernising its search and rescue mission apparatus, was ready to assist
Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore during contingencies.

"(ICG) spare no efforts towards ensuring the safety of life and property
within the Indian search and rescue region," he told officers of the National
Maritime Search and Rescue Board in Chennai during their annual meeting, reports
The Hindu newspaper.

Currently, India's ICG is only coordinating with Japan and South Korea in
maritime rescue operations.

The ICG is in the process of modernising its fleet and would soon acquire 14
twin-engines search and rescue helicopters to beef-up its eight sub-centres
across India.

The ICG, which works closely with Indian navy and Customs department, saved
over 400 lives in its waters, including Indian fishermen and illegal migrants
from Bangladesh and Myanmar last year.

The agency has developed its own computer-based and voluntary reporting
system, INDSAR, or the Indian maritime search and rescue computerised ship
reporting system, where rescue operations could be quickly mobilised when ships
are in distress by sending best-suited vessels to the scene.