Rescue in the Arabian Gulf

Reported here:

Nimitz-class nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T AOE 8) rescued seven mariners adrift in a raft Dec. 23, in the central Persian Gulf.

While conducting a replenishment-at-sea with Truman, Arctic received a bridge-to-bridge radio call from the British-flagged cargo vessel MV British Courage.

British Courage was requesting assistance rescuing the stranded mariners, who were floating approximately three miles from of the Harry S. Truman.

The ships performed an emergency break away; Arctic, operated by the Navy's Military Sealift Command, dispatched two MH-60S helicopters to the scene. Arctic put one rescue swimmer in the water who recovered the four Pakistanis and three Indian mariners.

The helicopter crews brought the mariners to Truman for medical treatment, food and water. All are currently in good condition and awaiting transfer back to the United Arab Emirates.

The mariners had been transporting cargo from Dubai when their dhow sailed into rough seas and broke its keel. When the vessel started taking on too much water to remain afloat, the mariners abandoned ship into a life raft where they remained for two days before the rescue.

Top photo caption:

071223-N-1688B-043 ARABIAN GULF (December 23, 2007) - A Navy Search and Rescue swimmer descends from an SH-60S Seahawk assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 Det 2, the "Sea Knights," embarked on fast combat support ship USNS Arctic (T-AOE 8), to retrieve survivors from a life raft at sea. The shipwrecked survivors were escorted on board the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) for medical treatment. The seven mariners, four Pakistani and three Indian, were recovered after their dhow sank in rough seas. The survivors were adrift for two days before being discovered by the British-flagged vessel MV British Courage. Truman and Arctic are currently deployed to the Arabian Gulf as part of the on-going rotation to support Maritime Security Operations (MSO) in the region. Coalition forces conduct MSO under international conventions to ensure security and safety in international waters so that all commercial shipping and fishing can operate freely while transiting the region. Official U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Matthew Bookwalter