At 3 am on 16 Dec 04 the Royal Navy frigate HMS Marlborough rescued 12 merchant seamen from the waters of the Gulf of Arabia. The entire crew had abandoned their ship, the MV Haydara, when its cargo of cement shifted causing a dangerous list to port.
All the sailors were picked up and treated for exposure and shock onboard the frigate, fed and given clean dry clothing.
Just after dawn, the Master of the Haydara went back to his ship to assess the situation – subsequently the crew reboarded the vessel and moved the cement to correct the list.
HMS Marlborough was alerted by a “May-Day” signal and guided to the scene by a coalition helicopter. Two ribs (rigid inflatable boats) were launched by the frigate and guided through the darkness to the merchant seamen who were sheltering in life-rafts. They were then transferred to the ribs and brought back to the warship.
The USS Essex and HMS Echo played a supporting role.
HMS Marlborough sailed from Portsmouth on 1st November 2004 for duties in the Arabian Gulf. She is engaged in Maritime Security Operations in the Northern part of the Gulf, particularly the protection of two large oil terminals through which much of the Iraqi oil flows.
