Visakhapatnam

The Andhra Pradesh Marine Police rescued four contract technical experts, said to be working with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) project at Rambilli, after their boat was stranded off the coast of Pudimadaka in Anakapalli district in the early hours of Thursday (August 6, 2026).

They were identified as Santosh Kumar Goud and Karmaraj Goud of Uttar Pradesh, Nityananda Tarafdar of West Bengal and Dattaram Krushna Mahakal of Maharashtra.

According to officials, the four-member team had arrived by sea with specialised instruments for geotechnical and soil testing work for a BARC infrastructure project. The organisation is constructing a jetty on the coastal stretch between Pudimadaka and Tantadi in Atchutapuram mandal.

The boat was immobilised after its tow and mooring ropes snapped at sea, leaving it adrift between Pudimadaka and Tantadi with the experts and their equipment aboard.

Marine Police Circle Inspector S. Simhadri Naidu told The Hindu that the control room received an emergency call at around 1.45 a.m. from the stranded crew. The Marine Police alerted the Indian Navy, the Coast Guard and local fishermen, and sent a rescue vessel to the spot.

“With prompt support from local fishermen, our team reached the vessel and rescued all four members, who were stranded nearly 150 metres off the Pudimadaka coast. The crew was panicked as giant waves struck the boat, causing seawater to seep inside while they took shelter,” Mr. Naidu said.

All four were brought ashore without injury, and the boat and equipment were secured. “We are grateful to the local fishermen. Without their timely support and local knowledge of the waters, the rescue operation would not have been possible,” Mr. Naidu said.

Published - August 06, 2026 07:04 pm IST