Indian Coast Guard successfully carries out medical evacuation of Iranian fisherman in Arabian sea

ICG Ship Sachet, which was returning from deployment to East African nations, was directed to assist. (Representative image)

The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) has carried out a challenging long-distance medical evacuation of an injured Iranian fisherman from the vessel Al-Owais in the Arabian Sea, roughly 1,500 km west of Kochi. The rescue began after the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC), Mumbai, received an alert from its Iranian counterpart in Chabahar about an onboard explosion and engine failure.

The dhow, with five crew members, reported that its master, Mr. Allah Baksh, had suffered serious eye injuries and deep cuts on his right ear during a fuel transfer accident.

Acting swiftly, MRCC (Mumbai) activated the International Safety Net (ISN) to alert nearby ships. ICG Ship Sachet, which was returning from deployment to East African nations, was directed to assist. At the same time, MT STI Grace, a Marshall Islands-registered tanker sailing from Kuwait to Moroni (Comoros), was diverted at 02:10 am on October 27, to reach the distressed dhow. The tanker made contact around 10:00 am and took the injured sailor onboard, where he was stabilized through tele-medical guidance provided by ICG medical teams.

The next day, under difficult sea conditions, STI Grace successfully transferred the patient to ICG Ship Sachet at 09:27 am on October 28. The fisherman is now receiving ongoing treatment onboard, as the vessel proceeds toward Goa for further medical care.