U.S. Navy Rescues Mariners from Burning Vessel in Gulf of Aden
27 October 2022
MANAMA, Bahrain - Personnel from two U.S. Navy ships rescued three civilian mariners Oct. 26 in the Gulf of Aden after their small motorboat caught fire while transiting international waters.
Guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) and patrol coastal ship USS Monsoon (PC 4) responded after observing the mariners in distress and immediately rendered assistance. Sailors safely rescued the civilian mariners before their burning vessel sank approximately 50 miles off the coast of Yemen.
“I’m so proud of our Sailors for being ready to respond and performing their duty to save lives with the upmost professionalism,” said Capt. Robert Francis, commander of Task Force 55, whose staff oversees operations for U.S. 5th Fleet’s surface forces. “Making a positive difference is what the U.S. Navy’s presence in this region is all about.”
The mariners identified themselves as Yemeni nationals and were immediately transferred to the Yemen Coast Guard.
Nitze is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that began operating in the Middle East this summer. Monsoon is forward-deployed to U.S. 5th Fleet and operates from Bahrain.
The U.S. 5th Fleet operating area includes 21 countries, the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and Suez Canal.