Pak Navy rescues nine Indian seamen

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy, in collaboration with the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA), has successfully rescued nine Indian seamen at sea, says a spokesman for the Pakistan Navy said on Monday.

The Ocean Tug SAS-5, registered at St. Kitts and Nevis, had been disabled near the Indian coast for the past few days, positioned 167 nautical miles southeast of Karachi. The tug faced a failure of its electric generators, resulting in a complete lack of electrical supply.

On the morning of February 4 (Sunday), the Pakistan Navy Joint Maritime Information and Coordination Centre (JMICC) received a distress signal from the ocean tug. The tug had commenced its journey from the Indian port of Debhol in Maharashtra on the first of this month, with its destination set for Sharjah, UAE.

In response to the distress signal, the Pakistan Navy, in coordination with HQ PMSA, initiated a search and rescue operation to assist the stranded tug. Initially, a PN Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft was tasked with locating the tug at sea, followed by a search and rescue operation conducted by the Pakistan Maritime Security Ship (PMSS) KASHMIR, which was already deployed on routine maritime security operations in the area.

Upon reaching the distressed tug, PMSS KASHMIR secured the vessel alongside, and after three hours of strenuous repair efforts, the defect was rectified. In addition to technical assistance, the crew of the tug was provided with medical facilities, fresh water, and cooked meals to alleviate their fatigue. Following the successful search and rescue operation, the tug was able to resume its voyage towards its next port of call in Sharjah, UAE. The professional and timely response by the Pakistan Navy and PMSA assets was highly appreciated and commended by the salvaged crew of the tug.