Unmanned patrol boat found drifting aimlessly at Digha coast after operator falls off

A patrol boat was left drifting without control for several hours off the Digha coast in West Bengal on Monday afternoon after an unforeseen incident involving a police officer.

During a routine maritime patrol, a police officer operating the vessel unintentionally fell off, leaving the boat to navigate aimlessly while he swam back to the shore.

The scene garnered the attention of beachgoers and local residents as the unmanned patrol boat floated in the coastal waters near Digha.

Law enforcement authorities regained control of the boat about an hour later. The officer, who was uninjured, safely returned to the shore and reported no damage to the vessel. An investigation has been initiated to ascertain the circumstances of the accident and to stop similar occurrences in the future.

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Earlier a couple of days back, maintenance-related issues led to a distressing incident for 18 tourists when their boat stalled mid-journey at the Muran Reservoir within the Dandabada Ecopark in the Koraput district. As many as 18 tourists were enjoying their boat ride at Muran Reservoir on the occasion of New Year’s Day. It was around 3 pm when the boat developed some technical problems stranding the tourists.