Mangalore, Feb 15: Indian Coast Guard ship H-194 Hovercraft arrived at Panambur beach on February 14, Friday.
Karnataka coast guard commander Rajmani Sharma and commander Rajendar Singh welcomed the hovercraft in Panambur beach.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajmani Sharma, said that the 21 metres long ACV with 31 tons can achieve a maximum speed of 45 knots and it is capable of undertaking multifarious tasks such as surveillance, interdiction, search and rescue and rendering assistance to small boats/crafts.
The craft is capable of moving on land as well as sea. Areas in accessible from both sea and land can be approached by hovercraft. The craft operates by skimming over the surface of the water using a cushion of air created by two propellers fitted on top of the craft.
The hovercraft will be permanently anchored at New Mangalore once the required infrastructure is set up to strengthen the coastal security along the coast off Karnataka.
