Paradip, Odisha: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) stabilised the Belize-flagged chemical tanker MT Seagull 9 after it suffered main engine failure and rapid flooding of a ballast tank nearly 37 nautical miles east-southeast of Paradip, Odisha.
The tanker, carrying around 9,000 metric tonnes of palm oil with 23 crew members onboard, issued a distress call at around 7:30 am on September 27, 2026, after the flooding caused the vessel to develop a dangerous tilt.
Coast Guard Team Boards Listing Tanker
The Indian Coast Guard immediately deployed ICGS Vishwast to the distressed vessel. A specialist ICG Damage Control Team boarded MT Seagull 9 and began emergency measures to control the flooding.
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The team used submersible de-flooding pumps, arrested the leakage and blanked two damaged seawater pipelines. It also contained a third fractured pipeline, according to the PIB release.
These measures stabilised the vessel and removed the immediate threat of capsizing.
Additional Coast Guard Assets Deployed
The Coast Guard strengthened the response by deploying a Pollution Control Vessel (PCV) and an additional Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV).
An ICG Dornier aircraft was also launched from Bhubaneswar to conduct aerial surveillance of the tanker and surrounding waters.
The Coast Guard said a minor palm-oil sheen was observed near the tanker on September 27. Follow-up aerial surveillance on September 28 confirmed that the sheen had fully dissipated.
Tanker Taken Under Tow Towards Paradip
After the vessel was stabilised, Paradip Port Authority tug Dolphin took MT Seagull 9 under tow towards the anchorage area off Paradip.
ICGS Vishwast and the other specialised Coast Guard assets deployed in the operation remained at the scene to provide continued operational support and maintain surveillance.
The response involved damage-control teams, specialised vessels and aerial assets working together to stabilise the tanker and monitor possible pollution risks following the maritime distress.
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