The Indian Navy’s warship, INS Trikand, quickly responded to a distress call to provide urgent medical help to a Pakistani fisherman in the Central Arabian Sea. The incident took place on Friday, April 4, when the ship, which was on a mission in the area, received an emergency call from an Iranian fishing boat called Al Omeedi. The boat was about 350 nautical miles off the coast of Oman when the call came in. The crew of INS Trikand acted fast and investigated the situation. They found that a sailor on the Al Omeedi had badly injured his fingers while working on the engine. The injury was serious enough that the injured fisherman had to be moved to another nearby Iranian fishing boat, FV Abdul Rehman Hanzia. This boat was already heading toward Iran, so the sailor was transferred there for further medical care. Thanks to the quick action of INS Trikand, the Pakistani fisherman was able to get the help he needed in time.
After investigating the distress call, officials found that a Pakistani crew member aboard the Iranian dhow Al Omeedi had suffered severe finger injuries while working on the engine. The sailor, in critical condition due to multiple fractures and significant blood loss, was transferred to another dhow, FV Abdul Rehman Hanzia, which was en route to Iran. In response, the Indian Navy’s warship INS Trikand immediately altered its course to provide urgent medical assistance.
The crew of FV Abdul Rehman Hanzia included 11 Pakistanis—nine Baloch and two Sindhi—along with five Iranian personnel. The injured Pakistani national had sustained multiple fractures and severe hand injuries, leading to heavy blood loss. INS Trikand, operating in the Central Arabian Sea around 350 nautical miles off the Oman coast, quickly dispatched a team including the ship’s medical officer, MARCOS commandos, and a boarding team to administer critical care.
The medical team aboard INS Trikand provided life-saving treatment, including local anesthesia, suturing, and splinting of the injured fingers. The three-hour surgical procedure successfully stopped the bleeding and prevented the risk of gangrene, which could have resulted in permanent loss of the fingers. In addition to immediate medical care, INS Trikand provided vital medical supplies, including antibiotics, to ensure the well-being of the crew as they made their way to Iran.
The crew of FV Abdul Rehman Hanzia expressed their profound gratitude to the Indian Navy for the timely intervention, which ultimately saved the life of their fellow crewmate.