MUMBAI, May 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 146 people have been rescued while 127 remained missing after a barge drifted into the sea during the cyclonic storm on India's western coast, according to the Indian Navy on Tuesday.
The barge carrying 273 people sank on Tuesday morning after cyclonic storm Tauktae, with winds gusting up to 185 km per hour, made landfall on the coast of India's western Gujarat state.
According to the official, search operation was underway despite the challenging weather conditions.
The barge sank at the offshore oilfield 176 km off the west coast of Mumbai.
Earlier on Monday, three frontline warships were deployed by the Indian Navy to rescue 410 people collectively stranded on the two barges and one drilling rig off the Mumbai coast near India's state-owned oil exploration company ONGC's installations, according to media reports.
"Due to the severe cyclonic storm, unfortunate incidences have occurred involving three construction barges of M/s Afcons working on a project of ONGC in Western Offshore fields in the Arabian Sea and one drilling rig of ONGC deployed for exploration purpose," the oil company said in a statement on Tuesday.
A brief statement posted on social media by the Indian navy spokesperson said 146 personnel were rescued so far from Barge P305.