Posted on 01/10/2012 10:40:27 AM PST by Sub-Driver
U.S. Military Rescues Distressed Iranians at Sea for Second Time
By Justin Fishel
Published January 10, 2012 | FoxNews.com
Despite Iranian threats warning the U.S. Navy to keep its distance from the Strait of Hormuz, for the second time in a week the U.S. military has rescued distressed Iranian mariners in the Gulf waters.
In the early morning hours of January 10th the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Monomoy responded to flares fired from the Iranian cargo dhow, Ya-Hussayn, which was experiencing engine troubles 50 miles off the coast of Iraq.
Monomoy launched their small boat and rescued two men off the dhow and four others tied to a life raft off the stern.
In all, six Iranians were taken off the boat, one of whom is being treated for severe burns he suffered in the engine room, according to Pentagon Spokesman George Little. All of the men were provided water, blankets, and halal meals and were later transferred to the Iranian Coast Guard vessel Naji 7.
According to a Navy press release, Hakim Hamid-Awi, the owner of the Iranian dhow, told the Coast Guard's Rescue Coordination Center that "without your help, we were dead. Thank you for all that you did for us."
The Captain of the Naji 7 also thanked the Coast Guard for their cooperation, according to the release.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Dry runs.
Halal meals? Really? C’Mon!
Sounds like these were non-Persian Iranians.
Shiite Arabs migrated to Iran from Saudi years ago
and live along the Gulf fishing and smuggling.
Wonder if the Coasties found any wacky weeds on that dhow?
Waterway security (see this piece from 2003).
The USCG cutter is probably viewed as a less provocative presence than, say, a USN Arleigh Burke destroyer.
Exactly! The ROP has a history of “innocent” trial runs, then BANG. Hope our sailors are thinking clearly, maybe sending a small craft rather than the ship coming in too close means they do grasp the potential.
How about we swap two of them for the American?? Or sentence them to Death? Crazy Iranians.....
Saw a photo of one the rescued wearing a new USN cap giving a hug to a crew member. It looked like he could have been saying “Take me with you!”
Their nuke facility needs to have a nuclear "accident" well before they are able to deliver anything in weapons form. Won't happen under Obama, though.
Iranian boat people?
My son told me some time after the fact that his ship (destroyer) rescued some stranded Iranian fishermen about a year and a half ago. I had the same worry when I heard about it.
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