Indian Navy deploys aerial assets as Chinese fishing vessel sinks in Indian Ocean

Indian Navy deployed its Aerial Maritime Reconnaissance assets in the wee hours of Tuesday (May 16) in the southern Indian Ocean after a Chinese fishing vesse sank. Chinese fishing vessel Lu Peng Yuan Yu 028 with 39 crew on board had sunk 900 nautical miles (approx 1,666 kms) south of India's Kanyakumari (southern tip of mainland India).

So far, the plight of the 39-member crew that comprises 17 persons from China, 17 persons from Indonesia and five from the Philippines, remains unknown. According to the Indian Navy, its P8I multi-role maritime surveillance aircraft "have carried out multiple & extensive searches despite adverse weather & located multiple objects possibly belonging to the sunken vessel". On the request of Chinese Navy (People's Liberation Army Navy) warships approaching the area, the Indian Navy aircraft also dropped search and rescue equipment (such as life rafts etc).

"In a display of India’s obligations as a credible & responsible partner for ensuring safety at sea, the Indian Navy units also coordinated Search and rescue efforts with other units in the area & guided PLA (N) warships transiting to the scene of incident" the Indian Navy said in a statement. It was added that the Indian Navy continues to remain deployed to provide all possible assistance to the search and rescue efforts.

China is widely regarded as operating the world's largest fishing fleet, with the support of Chinese maritime agencies and a large number of support vessels. There are also reports of Chinese and other vessels indulging in lllegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing activities far from their native shores, thereby depleting maritime wealth, habitats and resources. Such practices are considered unsustainable and cause immense damage to the seabed.

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