Indian Coast Guard, Navy rescue injured Iranian fisherman from dhow

Panaji, Oct 30 (PTI) The Indian Coast Guard and the Indian Navy have rescued an Iranian national who had suffered severe injuries to his eyes and right ear after a blast during a fuel transfer on board a fishing dhow in the Arabian Sea.

The Coast Guard said in a statement that it received a request for a critically injured Iranian fisherman about 1,500 km west off the Indian coast.

The fisherman had sustained severe injuries to his eyes and a deep laceration on his right ear following an explosion during a fuel transfer on the dhow, Al-Owais, it said.

The humanitarian operation began on October 28, when the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, Chabahar, informed MRCC Mumbai about the medical emergency. The six-member crew of the vessel had encountered engine failure on the high seas.

After activating the International Safety Net to alert all nearby vessels, MRCC Mumbai diverted MT STI Grace. Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Ship Sachet, which was returning from deployment to East African countries, was also diverted to render immediate assistance, the statement said.

MT STI Grace, being closer to the Iranian dhow, took the patient onboard for initial medical aid with ICG telemedicine support.

ICGS Sachet successfully carried out the medical evacuation of the critically injured Iranian fisherman amidst turbulent sea conditions in the Arabian Sea from MT STI Grace, a Marshall Island-flagged tanker.

The medical condition of the injured fisherman was monitored 24/7 during the passage and he was administered the required medical management onboard the ship to stabilise his vitals, the statement said.

As the condition of the patient deteriorated on the night of October 29, it was decided to airlift him from the ICG ship with assistance from the Indian Navy.

A long-range Naval helicopter took off from Goa and evacuated the patient from ICGS Sachet at sea about 180 km off Goa. The helicopter landed with the injured Iranian national at about 1200 hours on October 30, the Coast Guard statement said.

In a separate statement, the Indian Navy said at the first light on Thursday, Indian Navy's Sea King helicopter was launched from INS Shikra at Mumbai for the medical evacuation "The Sea King flew over 120 nautical miles into the sea post refuelling at INS Hansa, Goa, braving marginal weather and rough conditions to effect evacuation utilising a MEDEVAC litter. On arrival ashore at Goa, the casualty was shifted to INHS Jeevanti for further treatment," the Navy said.

The MEDEVAC witnessed wide support from all the state agencies for the humanitarian cause, the Coast Guard said. PTI PR NR KRK