The Pakistan Navy has rescued twelve Indian fishermen stranded on their boat in the Gulf of Aden for eight days.
During a routine anti-piracy patrol on April 27, PNS Alamgir encountered the fishing boat St Mary, whose crew had been drifting in the busy seaway due to a gearbox failure.
Over the course of the next 24 hours, Alamgir’s crew were able to fix the defect as well as provide much-needed supplies.
On discovering the vessel, PNS Alamgir crewmen were invited on board to assess the defect. They found that several gearbox and shaft components had been worn away, requiring the defective parts to be removed for repair. While the repair was taking place, PNS Alamgir’s crew used the remainder of the day to provide medical assistance and restock their fuel and food supplies.
The gearbox was reinstalled the following day and the fishermen crew headed back towards their Indian homeport.
“While our primary mission is counter-piracy, we are always ready to assist seafarers in need; this incident is an example of the contribution of warships to safety and security at sea,” Rear Admiral Daisuke Kajimoto JMSDF, Commander CTF151, said.
PNS Alamgir has been deployed for more than two months in support of Combined Task Force 151 operations. Pakistan Navy ships participate in multinational Task Force 150 and Task Force 151 which are mandated to conduct maritime security operations (MSOs) and anti-piracy respectively.