Three Indian Coast Guard ships have been battling a fire aboard a cargo vessel in the Arabian Sea for over 12 hours, preventing its spread. The vessel, MV Maersk Frankfurt, reported explosions on its front deck while sailing from Gujarat to Colombo. No casualties have been reported, and the coast guard is conducting aerial assessments and sending additional ships to assist in the firefighting operation.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has apprehended an Iranian fishing vessel carrying six Indian crew members who were allegedly exploited and mistreated by the boat owner. The Iranian vessel was found to have illegally entered Indian waters west of Beypore off the coast of Kerala on May 5, 2024. Acting on the matter, the Indian Coast Guard launched a coordinated operation, deploying ships and aircraft to intercept and detain the vessel. The six Indian crew members, hailing from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu, were taken into custody and the vessel was brought to Kochi for further investigations. According to the apprehended crew, they were not receiving salaries and were subjected to ill-treatment in Iran, prompting them to escape in the same boat they were employed on.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a notice advising people to avoid entering the Arabian Sea due to expected high tides through Sunday night. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and Indian National Centre for Ocean Information (INCOIS), the sea will witness a “swell of surge waves” from 11.30 am on Saturday to 11.30 pm on Sunday, resulting in wave heights of 0.5 to 1.5 meters. The BMC has urged fishermen to be cautious and has instructed civic staff, police, and beach security guards to prevent people from entering the sea during this period.
The recent extreme rainfall in Dubai has sparked concerns about the vulnerability of cities around the Arabian Sea to extreme weather events. As global warming continues to warm the ocean, experts are examining the potential impacts on weather patterns and exploring technologies like cloud seeding and geo-engineering as possible solutions.
