Madras High Court Questions Use of Helicopters for Beach Drowning Rescues

Court Inquiry

The Madras High Court has asked why authorities cannot use helicopters for sea drowning rescue operations along beaches in Chennai, Chengalpattu, and other coastal districts. Justices A.D. Jagadish Chandira and B. Karthikeyan raised this question while hearing a habeas corpus petition. The petition was filed by K. Gopal from Madhavaram in Chennai, whose 17-year-old son G. Santhosh went swimming at Marina Beach on July 5, 2026, and has been missing since then. While two of his friends were rescued, Santhosh remains untraced.

Official Response

During the hearing, Additional Public Prosecutor M. Mohamed Riyaz informed the bench that 50 police personnel from the 12th battalion of Tamil Nadu Special Police are deployed daily at Marina Beach for crowd control. Safety equipment in the Chennai Division includes seven jet skis, one all-terrain motor vehicle, and two mini tractors. Additionally, two 12-ton boats from the Coastal Security Group patrol the coast from Pazhaverkadu to Neelankarai. The judges also reviewed city surveillance, noting that the Greater Chennai Corporation maintains 468 surveillance cameras across 426 square kilometres, but 73 of them are not working. The bench stated that non-functional cameras defeat the purpose of ensuring prompt action during untoward incidents.

Legal Action

To improve rescue operations, the judges suo motu impleaded the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, which is headed by the Director General of the Indian Coast Guard. The bench directed Additional Solicitor General AR.L. Sundaresan to get instructions from this central body by November 20 regarding actions taken to rescue people swept away by high tides. The court wants central and state agencies to coordinate effectively to save lives.

Context

Habeas corpus petitions are legal tools used to seek the release of a person who is unlawfully detained or missing under suspicious circumstances. Coastal areas often experience strong high tides, making swimming dangerous and requiring rapid response teams to prevent tragic accidents.