USS Higgins Saves Crew of Burning Fishing Vessel

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Higgins (DDG 76) rendered assistance to the crew of a burning fishing vessel on Aug. 28.

Higgins spotted the vessel on the horizon and proceeded to its location to render assistance.

Upon arrival, Higgins found the fishing vessel engulfed in flames. As the ship proceeded closer to investigate, lookouts spotted the vessel’s crew in the water clinging to debris. Higgins launched one of her rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIB) and rescued the four-person crew. After the crew was delivered to the ship, hospital corpsmen examined them while the ship’s Rescue and Assistance Team provided them with food and water. None of the crewmen were injured.

Higgins delivered the four crewmen to local authorities so they could be returned ashore.

The vessel is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, strike operations in Iraq and Syria as directed, maritime security operations and theater security cooperation effort in the region. The ship is homeported in San Diego.

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Image: US Navy