Indian Navy carries out critical medical evacuation of merchant vessel crew off Goa

Indian Navy carried out an exceptional medical evacuation operation at sea on 20 Mar from MV Heilan Star 230 nm off Goa on March 21, 2025.
| Photo Credit: X/@indiannavy

The Indian Navy successfully carried out a critical medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) operation from the MV Heilan Star, a Panama-flagged bulk carrier, in the early hours of Friday (March 21, 2025). The vessel was located about 230 nautical miles west of Goa. The Navy rescued three crew members, two Chinese and one Indonesian, while another crew member had already succumbed to injuries.

On the intervening night of March 20 and 21, the Indian Coast Guard’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre at Mumbai informed the Navy about the four crew members of the MV Heilan Star who had sustained severe burn injuries and required immediate advanced medical care, the Navy said in a statement. Responding swiftly, two naval ships, INS Vikrant and INS Deepak, were diverted from their ongoing deployment to render aid.

“At first light on March 21, a Seaking helicopter from Vikrant carried out a challenging winching operation, to evacuate three injured crew – two Chinese and one Indonesian nationals, from the MV Heilan Star. The fourth crew had, sadly, already succumbed to injuries,” the Navy said.

The rescued crew were immediately flown to INS Hansa in Goa, from where they were transferred to a civilian hospital for further medical care. “This operation underscores the Indian Navy’s and the Indian Coast Guard’s unwavering commitment to life-saving efforts and swift response to humanitarian assistance, despite challenging circumstances, even beyond national maritime boundaries,” the statement said.