Dornier deployed as smoke billows out of ill-fated ship

Kolkata, June 19 (IANS) With smoke continuing to emanate from the merchant vessel MV SSL Kolkata, which was devastated by a raging fire in the Bay of Bengal on June 14, a Dornier helicopter of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) was deployed on Monday evening to carry out a visual assessment of the situation, according to a Defence Ministry spokesperson.

On Sunday, the ministry had announced that the fire had been extinguished.

"After the dousing of the fire on-board MV SSL Kolkata yesterday (Sunday) by the Air Force, a visual recce was immediately conducted by ICG which brought out that smoke was seen emanating from the vessel," the spokesperson said.

A recce by the Dornier on Monday morning showed that the smoke continued to billow out from the ship, "though there was no visible flame".

In view of the situation, one ICG Dornier was again launched at 6 p.m on Monday to make a visual assessment of the situation, he said.

Meanwhile, an Air Force Mi-17 held position in Frazerganj in case there was a need to carry out dousing operations.

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