Fishing boat catches fire off Raigad coast, 18 men rescued

Fishing boat catches fire off Raigad coast, 18 men rescued
28 Feb 2025

A private fishing boat caught fire off the coast of Alibaug in Maharashtra's Raigad district early Thursday morning.

The incident took place around 6-7 nautical miles from the shore between 3:00am and 4:00am putting its 18 crew members in danger.

On receiving a distress call, emergency services were quickly mobilized.

Coast Guard and Navy launch rapid response operation
Rescue mission

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) launched a rapid response operation in coordination with the Navy.

The ICGS SavitriBai Phule, which was patrolling off Mumbai, spotted the burning boat at Position 190 Prongs Lt 21.

A Coast Guard spokesperson confirmed that "our teams ensured that every crew member was rescued and safely embarked on an alternative vessel."

Firefighting operations underway, cause under investigation
Ongoing efforts

Initial reports indicate that the fire spread quickly across the vessel, leaving little time to react.

Local authorities and maritime safety officials are investigating the cause of this incident.

The fishing boat belongs to Rakesh Gan.

After the incident, all the rescued crew members were taken to a nearby medical facility for evaluation.