ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy ship PNS Shamsheer saved 41 people during a counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden.
The ship was operating as a part of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151), an international coalition task force of naval ships and aircraft formed under the UN mandate to counter piracy in Gulf of Aden. CTF-151 is presently being commanded by Pakistan Navy Commodore Muhammad Shuaib. According to reports, CTF-151 Headquarters (HQ) received information about a Yemeni dhow, carrying 60 personnel, which had sunk 30 nautical miles north-west of Socotra Island. On getting information, CTF-151 HQ ordered aircraft to carry out surveillance to locate the survivors and tasked PNS Shamsheer for search and rescue operation. PNS Shamsheer responded to the call and reached the sunken dhow within few hours. Upon reaching the area, PNS Shamsheer assumed duties of on-scene commander and coordinated the efforts that involved naval ships of Spain and Australia aided by land-based aircraft of Japan and Germany. Overall, the whole operation was coordinated by CTF-151 and commanded on scene by PNS Shamsheer. Resultantly, 41 personnel onboard the ill-fated Yemeni boat were rescued. The operation signifies the professional acumen of Pakistan Navy that it coordinated such a large-scale operation involving navies from around the globe. Previously, during deployment, PNS Shamsheer assisted the maritime community. Medical assistance was offered to the crew members of a cattle dhow named Al Amir while it was transporting livestock from Somalia to Oman. Similarly, on November 26, medical assistance was offered to a Somali dhow, Faisesale Mohammadi, in Gulf of Aden.
