Chennai: In a swift rescue operation, the Indian Coast Guard successfully coordinated the rescue of 16 personnel including three missing Indian nationals in foreign waters of Malaysia on August 26.

In the late hours of August 25, MRCC Mumbai received information regarding three missing Indian nationals from the Guyana-flagged tanker, MT Vora, off the Malaysian Coast, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) said in a statement.

Considering the gravity of the situation and the lives at stake, MRCC Mumbai coordinated the rescue operation in collaboration with SAR coordinating agencies of Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia.

"With persistent efforts, the boat was located by Malaysian authorities off the Malaysian coast on August 26 which ran out of fuel on her passage. The 16 personnel including 03 missing Indian nationals have been rescued and are being taken to Malaysia for further investigation/formalities," the statement said.

The poise and leverage of the Indian Coast Guard in responding to the distress call of our fellow countrymen, away from the Indian search and rescue region in foreign waters in the shortest possible time was able to provide succour.

The seamless coordination with 03 countries in the Indo-Pacific region has put forth the Indian Coast Guard's capabilities and capacities living up to the motto "We Protect" and vindicating its adage of service.