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Mangaluru: The long-awaited sea ambulance to ensure the safety of fishermen during emergencies at sea is expected to arrive by May.

The Fisheries Department has already issued a work order for the construction of the sea ambulance at a cost of ₹7.85 crore for the three coastal fishing districts of Karnataka. A contractor from Tamil Nadu has taken up the construction work.

At present, when accidents occur at sea, nearby fishermen usually rush to carry out rescue operations. However, due to a lack of proper training and delays in reaching the spot on time, several lives have been lost in the past. In this context, providing a sea ambulance has been a long-standing demand of the fishing community.

Although tenders were floated nearly two years ago, no contractor had come forward earlier. The department has now finalised a contractor and issued the work order.

Will it be available before the monsoon?

The work order was issued to the contractor in December last year, with six months given for the construction of the sea ambulance. Accordingly, it is expected to be ready by May. If delivered on time, it could assist traditional boat fishermen during the upcoming monsoon season.

If the vessel is not ready by May, the department plans to deploy it for service by August.

Who will manage it?

At present, the department does not have trained personnel to operate and manage the sea ambulance. A decision is yet to be taken on whether to outsource the operation or seek assistance from the Health Department.

In Kerala, three sea ambulances have been operational since 2021, with trained teams hired on an outsourcing basis.

The sea ambulance will require a captain, one paramedical staff member to provide emergency medical assistance, six lifeguards and other supporting staff.

The vessel will help carry out timely rescue operations for fishermen during accidents at sea and respond immediately to any maritime emergencies.

Features of the sea ambulance

Length: 23.5 metres; Width: 6 metres; Height: 4 metres

Capable of operating at a water draft of 2.5 metres

Cruising speed of 8 knots and maximum speed of 14 knots

Can remain at sea for up to four days

Emergency treatment facility for five patients with oxygen cylinders, monitoring units, stretchers and other medical equipment

Equipped with two 650 HP diesel engines

Facilities include generator, fire extinguishers, magnetic compass, GPS, navigational charts, night-vision binoculars, radar and barometer

Also equipped with search and rescue transponders, disaster alert transmitters and emergency position radio beacons

Two lifeboats with engines, life jackets, life buoys, rocket parachute flares and a bio-toilet

“We have instructed the contractor to deliver the sea ambulance by May. If that is not possible, it will be deployed by August. The base will be established at a central location so that fishermen from all three coastal districts can benefit,” said Dinesh Kumar Kallair, Director of the Fisheries Department, Bengaluru.