Cyclone Tauktae had hit Arabian Sea off the coast of Mumbai in the early hours of May 17, 2021 where ONGC’s major production installations and drilling rigs are located. Three construction barges of Afcons working on a project of ONGC in Western Offshore fields in the Arabian Sea and one floater drilling rig of ONGC were severely impacted in the cyclone. All the anchors of the Barge P-305 had given away, it started drifting and hit an unmanned platform of ONGC resulting in water ingress and eventually capsized at around 5 PM of May 17, 2021. ONGC Offshore Supply Vessels were immediately pressed into service for rescue operation along with INS Kochi and INS Kolkata of Indian Navy and Coast Guard vessel. Indian Navy along with Coast Guard and ONGC are continuing with extensive search and rescue operations.
Afcons are working on the compensation for the affected crew, which will be operationalized soon. ONGC management has decided to extend an immediate relief of Rs.1 lakh to the survivors and Rs.2 lakh for the Brave Nature’s victims and missing persons’ families.
During this fight against ferocity of nature, ONGC employees on board displayed exemplary courage and continued their efforts to steer barges and rig to safety with beaten down functionality. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas owned Maharatna PSU is looking at rescue and rehabilitation task at this hour. Their business partner Afcons who was operating the affected barges has been with ONGC in this task. The combined rescue and search efforts will be continued for few more days in the hope that it will save more lives.
ONGC has also setup a helpdesk to extend help. ONGC will facilitate the dependent family members of the rescued crew in providing logistics and expenses.
