U.S. naval forces aid distressed mariners
MANAMA, Bahrain (Jan. 10, 2011) — U.S. ships provided medical assistance to crew members from two vessels in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility since Jan. 1.
Amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) provided medical assistance to an Indian crew member of a fishing vessel in the Arabian Gulf Jan 2. Later that week, USS Momsen (DDG 92), assigned to Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, Combined Maritime Forces’ (CMF) counter-piracy mission, responded to a medical emergency aboard an Iranian fishing vessel 400 nautical miles north of Seychelles, off the coast of Somalia.
USS Carter Hall lookouts observed an individual aboard a vessel waving his hands over his head and gesturing for help. Carter Hall immediately responded by dispatching an assistance team to provide aid.
The team discovered an injured man with a pressure dressing on his right arm. The crewman of the distressed vessel sustained the injury when his shirt was caught in the vessel’s engine fan while performing maintenance.
“Given the extent and type of injury, the man could have developed significant problems,” said Lt. Dustin Lorentz, USS Carter Hall medical officer. “The Carter Hall medical team is always prepared to provide prompt and quality treatment to a person in need.”
A USS Momsen medical team treated a 15-year-old boy aboard an Iranian fishing vessel Jan. 5. His injuries were not serious and there was no requirement for him to be medically evacuated.
“We are delighted that once again CMF has been able to provide humanitarian assistance in an emergency,” said Lt. Cmdr. Susie Thomson, Royal navy CMF spokesperson. “Mariners of all nations take pride in supporting each other and this occasion was no exception. We are particularly glad that this boy’s injuries were not more serious and that he could remain with his crew mates.”
Carter Hall is part of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts. Kearsarge ARG is operating as a theater reserve force for U.S. Central Command.
CTF 151’s mission is to deter, disrupt and suppress piracy, protecting maritime vessels of all nationalities and securing freedom of navigation in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin.
In conjunction with NATO and European Naval Forces, CTF 151 conducts patrols in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor and supports best management practice methods for piracy avoidance that are promoted to the shipping industry.
Source: CENTCOM
