Armed forces rescue tourists stranded in Havelock Island

New Delhi: The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) ferried stranded tourists from Havelock Island to Port Blair, braving rough sea and heavy rains, a statement said on Monday.

A message was received from the civil administration yesterday that several tourists were stranded in Havelock Island after the cancellation of 'Makruzz', a boat meant for ferrying civilians, due to a defect in the hull.

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been experiencing heavy rains and very rough seas since September 13.

It was also intimated that a number of passengers, who had their flights scheduled for this morning, were stranded and required to be brought to Port Blair, the capital of the archipelago.

As the civil ferries to Havelock Island do not ply at night, the ANC had been approached for ferrying the stranded tourists. "Two naval ships -- INS Bangaram and INS Battimalv (fast attack craft class) -- were sailed for the mission despite torrential rains and very rough weather," the statement said.