USS Oscar Austin Aids Iranian Mariners Stranded in Arabian Gulf

Story Number: NNS101118-14 Release Date: 11/18/2010 2:26:00 PM 0 Comments

From Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs

USS OSCAR AUSTIN, At Sea (NNS) -- USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79) located and provided assistance to two Iranian mariners who were spotted floating in a life raft in the Arabian Gulf, Nov. 18.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Organization (UKMTO) contacted Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) at approximately 3:30 a.m. (Bahrain) after it had been notified by a merchant vessel that they had seen a flare launched from a life raft. CMF notified Combined Task Force (CTF) 152 which then dispatched Oscar Austin to locate the vessel.

Oscar Austin located the life raft around 5 a.m., approximately 1,000 yards outside of Iranian territorial waters.

After providing the two distressed mariners food and water, a rigid hulled inflatable boat from Oscar Austin towed the life raft closer to the ship in the event the men required any urgent aid or further assistance.

CMF contacted the Omani Navy and asked them to assist in communicating the location of the life raft to the Iranian Coast Guard.

According to the two men, their dhow sank the night before, and they did not know the disposition of any other crew members.

Oscar Austin remained on scene until 12:30 p.m., when the mariners were picked up by an Iranian Coast Guard search and rescue vessel.

"The response and assistance provided are excellent examples of the training and coordination between members of CTF 152," said Lt. Cmdr. Steve Ansuinni, CTF 152 future operations officer. "We're glad that we were able to coordinate the rescue of the mariners with the Iranian Coast Guard."

The Iranian Coast Guard crew thanked Oscar Austin for their assistance and departed the area.

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/5th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.

http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=57287

Some people are suffering from lack of work, some from lack of water, many more from lack of wisdom.

Calvin Coolidge

WTH? That's odd, what were Iranian sailors/fisherman doing all the way out in the Arabian Gulf (Red Sea)?
Come to think of it, Iran doesn't even have territorial waters in the Red Sea? This article is so confusing.




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"Iranian is by Virtue, Not by Blood"

Mani, some people, apparently with the desire to piss Iranians off, refer to the Persian Gulf as the Arabian Gulf. Frankly, I find this amusing, but it's true. In fact, before I was booted from IMF they banned people who refused to refer to the Persian Gulf as the Persian gulf.

Some people are suffering from lack of work, some from lack of water, many more from lack of wisdom.

Calvin Coolidge

Just call it the gulf, this Iranian insecurity is getting ridiculous.



An unavoidable war is called justice.
When brutality is the only option left,
it is holy.
Machiavelli - The Prince 1513.

Funny thing is that the Arab who started using the term "Arabian gulf", he's sister ****** the shah and had a baby with him, yes, I believe that was his siter.

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Just call it the gulf, this Iranian insecurity is getting ridiculous.

Hey dumby...how could this be our insecurity since they are trying to change the name. We simply say: let's call it what it has always been called?

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Persian revenge, I agree, but at the same time don't be so sensative towards the name. I hear alot of people saying these things just to get on the nerves of Iranians, of-cource only on the internet, cause in real life we would rape you

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