MV Suez crew shifted to Pak warship Babar

The 22-member crew of the Egyptian ship, including six Indians, was transferred to the frigate after the vessel began taking on water

The 22-member crew of the Egyptian ship, including six Indians, was transferred to the frigate after the vessel began taking on water

The MV Suez's 22-member crew, including six Indians, were yesterday transferred to a Pakistani warship when the Egyptian merchant vessel, which was recently released by Somali pirates after payment of ransom, began taking on water in the Arabian Sea.


On getting a call for assistance, Pakistani officials asked the MV Suez crew to climb aboard their warship, PNS Babar

MV Suez was on its way to the Omani port of Salalah when it ran out of fuel and began taking on water in stormy weather, a Pakistani channel quoted its sources as saying.

On getting a call for assistance, Pakistan Navy chief Admiral Noman Bashir ordered the vessel's crew to be shifted to the frigate PNS Babar, which was escorting it.

The Egyptian owners of the Suez had abandoned its crew and the vessel. The Suez's captain had also opened the vessel's valves to scuttle it, the channel reported.

Destination unknown
The ship's crew was transferred to the PNS Babar last afternoon, the channel said. It was yet to be decided whether the crew, including the Indians, would be brought to Karachi or Gwadar port in Pakistan, navy sources were quoted as saying.

Earlier, the captain of the Suez appealed to Pakistan's foreign ministry and the naval chief for immediate help as he feared the vessel would capsize after being caught in strong winds. MV Suez Captain Syed Wasi Hasan said that the weather had turned threatening due to the Monsoons.

"We were on the open seas for the past three days. The owner of the ship has not sent any fuel so far," he said. Hasan said he had appealed to Pakistan authorities to save the lives of his crew.

Pakistan and India have exchanged angry charges over an incident allegedly involving PNS Babar and the Indian warship INS Godavari.

Pakistan alleged the Indian warship had brushed against Babar and carried out "dangerous manoeuvres". India responded by saying that the Pakistani warship was responsible for the incident.