NATO Warship Assists Iranian Vessel
A NATO warship went to the rescue this weekend of an Iranian-flagged vessel whose engine broke down just days after its rescue from pirates by another NATO ship, the alliance said Monday.
An Italian ship, the ITS Grecale, offered the five Iranian and nine Pakistani crew food and water and worked through the night to fix the engine, but to no avail, NATO said in a statement.
"The engine was too badly damaged to repair at sea," the statement said.
"NATO offered to transfer the crew to the closest port, but they chose to stay with their vessel," it added. The ITS Grecale "is remaining in the area to monitor the situation, ready to provide further assistance if required."
The ship had been released from suspected Somali pirates on January 7 by a Danish warship, the HDMS Absalon.
That operation came days after a U.S. warship, the USS Carney, intercepted the Indian-flagged dhow al-Qashmi off the southwestern coast of Oman and freed its 20 Indian crew members.
The weekend assistance comes amid heightened tensions between the international community and Tehran.
16 January 2012, 14:17
24
LOOOOOL. OHH those US and NATO people are such kind cute people they are patrolling the seas helping fishermen and mermaids. See they have great values... it doesnt look like a setup at alll NOOOOO. the same people again for the second week lol. would make u almost believe that Iran has only 2 ships and 1 boat in the sea and are helpless people with no capacity to help or save anyone. if they could pay and fabricate it then they would not hesitate to claim to save ahmadi najad himself when he was helplessly stranded when his pedal boat has one broken pedal out at sea. they would even offer him milk and cookies and a blanket too ;).
16 January 2012, 14:57
03
Regardless who saves who.the law of the sea is whomever uses the distress signal..."Mayday"...even if its your political enemy, you have to answer it and help.
16 January 2012, 16:23
41
i would have just blown the fu**** out of the water and then there would have been five less Iranian and nine less Pakistani's to worry about.Thank you
16 January 2012, 16:41
00
Where is the glorious Iranian navy? Making threats in the strait of Hormuz?
16 January 2012, 17:27
11
"vessel whose engine broke down", sure it was the US, UK, NATO, Western, Crusaders that sabotaged the engine I know because I am a Ashura self mutilating genius, it is a scientifically proven fact that regularly beating one's own head with an iron rod tends to make the brain bigger and thus smarter. Cookie_Monster can I have one of those wonderful Baalbek hashish laced cookies of yours, they are delicious.
