AHMEDABAD, JAN 8
INS Sumedha, presently on Anti-Piracy Patrol in Gulf of Aden, came to the rescue of 13 crew of the dhow Al-Hamid on Monday, a defence release said.
Al-Hamid was detected by an IN helicopter launched from the deck of INS Sumedha, which confirmed that the vessel was in distress and drifting near the coast of Somalia.
A boarding team along with a naval technical team embarked Al-Hamid for routine checks onboard and render assistance. The crew of Al-Hamid comprised 13 Indian citizens. The technical team detected the dhow had suffered a broken main engine shaft, which was not repairable at sea. The dhow was then towed to safety away from the Somali coast.
Meanwhile, the owner of the dhow has sent another vessel for towing it to port for repairs. Before departure, Indian Naval Ship Sumedha provided fresh water and medical supplies to the crew of the dhow.
