Saudi Border Guard says Iran-flagged Oil Tanker Rescued Off the Coast of Jeddah

Saudi Border Guard says Iran-flagged Oil Tanker Rescued Off the Coast of Jeddah
Saudi Border Guard says Iran-flagged Oil Tanker Rescued Off the Coast of Jeddah

HappinessI was carrying a crew of 26 sailors, most of them Iranians, and was located 70nautical miles south-west of Jeddah Islamic Port

The officialspokesman for the General Directorate of Border Guard announced on Thursdaythat the Search and Rescue Coordination Center in Jeddah (JMRCC) received amessage from Jeddah Islamic Port and the Saudi Search and Rescue Center at theGeneral Authority of Civil Aviation, including an SOS distress signal from theship HAPPINESS I, with the ship's captain asking for help in towing the vesselbecause of engine failure and loss of control.

By analyzingthe information of HAPPINESS I, it turned out to be flying the flag of Iran,and has a crew consisting of 26 sailors, comprising 24 Iranian nationals and 2Bangladeshi nationals. It was an oil tanker, located 70 nautical milessouth-west of Jeddah Islamic Port towards 198 degrees.

The NationalPlan for the Prevention of Marine Disasters in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia waslaunched immediately in coordination with the parties involved in the plan.Several vessels belonging to the Border Guard, the Saudi Ports Authority, SaudiAramco and Bahri Company began to respond to the operation to rescue the shipand its crew. To ensure that there is no environmental damage or contamination,the national plan to combat pollution was activated and Security Aviation wastasked with surveying the area aerially.

The officialspokesman said the Kingdom received a formal request, through the SaudiPermanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, from the Chargé d'Affairesof the Iranian delegation asking for assistance, which had already beenlaunched immediately after receiving the distress message.

"Allnecessary precautions were taken to ensure the safety of the ship's crew andprovide necessary support and assistance," he said.

"This actioncomes under the guidance of the wise leadership – may God preserve it – andstems from the humanitarian role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as usual insuch cases," said the spokesman of the General Directorate of the Border Guard.

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