U.S. Navy Rescues Mariners from Burning Vessel in Gulf of Aden

27 October 2022

From U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain - Personnel from two U.S. Navy ships rescued three civilian mariners Oct. 26 in the Gulf of Aden after their small motorboat caught fire while transiting international waters.

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USS Nitze (DDG 94) extinguishes a fire aboard a civilian motorboat in the Gulf of Aden.

GULF OF ADEN (Oct. 26, 2022) Sailors aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) work to extinguish a fire aboard a civilian motorboat in the Gulf of Aden, Oct. 26, 2022. Nitze is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Cryton Vandiesal)

Guided-missile destroyer USS Nitze (DDG 94) and patrol coastal ship USS Monsoon (PC 4) responded after observing the mariners in distress and immediately rendered assistance. Sailors safely rescued the civilian mariners before their burning vessel sank approximately 50 miles off the coast of Yemen.

“I’m so proud of our Sailors for being ready to respond and performing their duty to save lives with the upmost professionalism,” said Capt. Robert Francis, commander of Task Force 55, whose staff oversees operations for U.S. 5th Fleet’s surface forces. “Making a positive difference is what the U.S. Navy’s presence in this region is all about.”

The mariners identified themselves as Yemeni nationals and were immediately transferred to the Yemen Coast Guard.

Nitze is an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer that began operating in the Middle East this summer. Monsoon is forward-deployed to U.S. 5th Fleet and operates from Bahrain.

The U.S. 5th Fleet operating area includes 21 countries, the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and Suez Canal.

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