On June 13, 2025, the Indian Navy executed an aerial insertion of a salvage team onto the fire-stricken MV WAN HAI 503. A Seaking helicopter deployed from INS Garuda, Kochi, winched the team onto the vessel, where they connected a tow line to the salvage tug Offshore Warrior. Following the connection, the naval helicopter extracted the team. Towing operations are now underway. INS Sharda and OSV MV Triton Liberty, in coordination with the Indian Coast Guard and other maritime agencies, are actively involved in the ongoing salvage operation.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Defence: The government ministry overseeing the Indian Navy.
INDIAN NAVY: The naval branch of the Indian armed forces.
MV WAN HAI 503: A vessel that is the subject of salvage operations due to a fire.
14 JUN 2025: The date the press release was posted.
PIB Delhi: Press Information Bureau, Delhi - the source of the press release.
13 Jun 2025: The date of the aerial insertion of the salvage team.
INS Garuda, Kochi: Indian Naval Station Garuda, located in Kochi. It serves as a naval air station.
Seaking helicopter: A type of helicopter used by the Indian Navy for the salvage operation.
Tug Offshore Warrior: A salvage tug involved in the towing operations of MV WAN HAI 503.
INS Sharda: An Indian Navy offshore patrol vessel involved in the salvage operation.
OSV MV Triton Liberty: An offshore supply vessel involved in the salvage operation.
Indian Coast Guard: A maritime law enforcement and search and rescue agency of India, coordinating with the Indian Navy in the salvage operation.
Ministry of Defence
INDIAN NAVY UNDERTAKES DARING AERIAL
INSERTION OF SALVAGE TEAM ONBOARD MV
WAN HAI 503
Posted On: 14 JUN 2025 11:23AM by PIB Delhi
In the ongoing salvage operations of MV WAN Hai 503, which is under massive fire, the Indian Navy
augmented the efforts with the aerial insertion of salvage team on 13 Jun 2025. In a prompt response, the
salvage team members were embarked onboard a Seaking helicopter at INS Garuda, Kochi. The Naval
helicopter successfully inserted the team on the vessel amidst challenging weather/sea conditions and
fire onboard. The salvage team was winched down, who connected up tow with the salvage Tug Offshore
Warrior. After connection of the tow, the salvage team was successfully extracted by the Naval helicopter
from the vessel. The towing operations of the vessel has commenced.
Presently, Indian Navy's INS Sharda and OSV MV Triton Liberty are actively engaged with the salvage ops in
coordination with the Indian Coast Guard and other maritime agencies. This swift insertion and extraction of
salvage team by Indian Navy has significantly reinforced the rescue efforts._________________________________________________________________
VM/SPS 113/25
(Release ID: 2136309)