The Pakistan Navy has launched a humanitarian rescue operation in the Arabian Sea to assist a distressed merchant vessel, security sources said on Monday.
Pakistan Navy personnel are providing emergency assistance to six Indian and one Indonesian crew member aboard the MV Gautam, the security sources said, adding that the vessel was sailing from Oman to India when it developed a technical fault at sea.
They said that the Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai contacted Pakistani authorities for assistance after the incident.
Following the emergency request, the Pakistan Navy deployed a ship of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency named PNS Kashmir to carry out the rescue operation.
Security sources said the affected crew members are being provided with food, medical assistance and technical support onboard.
They added that the Pakistan Navy remains fully prepared and committed to responding effectively to any emergency at sea.
Pakistan Navy has carried out several rescue and evacuation operations in recent years in regional waters, particularly involving distressed merchant vessels and fishing boats, as part of its maritime safety mandate.
Earlier in April, Pakistan Navy rescued and evacuated 18 crew members of a merchant vessel operating in the North Arabian Sea after a distress call, the military’s media wing said.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that PNS Hunain conducted a search and rescue operation after receiving a distress call from merchant vessel Gold Autumn, operating in the North Arabian Sea at 200 nautical miles (approximately 370 kilometres) off Pakistan’s coast.
“The ship’s team of specialists provided medical aid, assisted in firefighting, carried out damage assessment, and successfully rescued the crew,” it added.
The crew — including nationals of China, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Vietnam and Indonesia — were evacuated and transported to Karachi for medical care and repatriation to their respective countries.
