The Indian navy has rescued 177 of the 270 people aboard a barge off the coast of India’s Mumbai city after it sank amid a severe cyclone. Efforts to find other survivors are ongoing as more than 90 people are still missing.
Three other commercial barges carrying about 700 people are stranded at sea in the wake of cyclone Tauktae.
The stricken barge, owned by India’s Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC), was carrying personnel deployed for offshore drilling. The barge’s anchors gave way as soon as the cyclone began causing it to begin drifting.
The company has reportedly deployed boats to rescue its personnel.
Initially classified as “extremely severe”, the cyclone made landfall in Gujarat state with wind speeds of up to 160km/h (100mph) before weakening but at least 12 people have been confirmed dead.
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