A rescue and assistance team from the guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George assists the crew of an Iranian fishing vessel with a failed engine in the Gulf of Oman. Photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Kenneth D. Tate.
GULF OF OMAN (Feb. 7, 2011) — Guided-missile cruiser USS Cape St. George (CG 71) provided assistance to 16 mariners on an Iranian flagged fishing vessel Feb. 3 in the Gulf of Oman.
After establishing communications with the fishing vessel, Cape St. George learned the vessel’s engine had stopped running.
A vessel boarding team was deployed on a rigid-hull inflatable boat (RHIB) from Cape St. George to assess the situation, followed by a second RHIB with a rescue and assistance team who determined the vessel had run out of fuel.
Cape St. George transferred fuel, food and water to the vessel enabling it to get underway.
This is the second vessel Cape St. George has assisted this week.
On Jan. 31, they assisted Iranian mariners whose vessel was taking on water until they could be transferred to an Iranian Customs Vessel which was operating in the area.
Cape St. George is deployed to the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations conducting maritime security operations.