U.S. Navy Rescues Iranian Sailors.

TheLastBoyScout · Jan 6, 2012

We just saved some of Ahmadinejad's countrymen from pirates.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/06/world/meast/iran-us-navy-rescue/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

(CNN) -- U.S. sailors from a carrier strike group whose recent presence in the Persian Gulf drew the ire of Iranian military officials have rescued 13 of the Middle Eastern country's sailors from a hijacked fishing boat, a military spokesman said Friday.

The destroyer USS Kidd came to the aid of the ship Thursday in the North Arabian sea, near the crucial Strait of Hormuz, according to the Navy.

The rescue prompted the captain of the freed ship to offer his "sincere gratitude," according to Josh Schminky, a Navy Criminal Investigative Service agent aboard the Kidd.

"He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months," said Schminky

The rescue Thursday came two days after Iran said the United States should not send any more warships into the Persian Gulf.

The USS John Stennis Strike Group, which includes the Kidd, moved out of the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz last week, prompting Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi to warn that "there is no need for the forces belonging to the countries beyond this region to have a presence in the Persian Gulf," according to the semi-official Fars News Agency.

"Their presence does nothing but create mayhem, and we never wanted them to be present in the Persian Gulf," Vahidi said.

According to the Navy, a helicopter from the Kidd spotted a suspect pirate boat alongside the Iranian vessel. At the same time, the Kidd received a distress call from the captain of ship, the Al Molai, saying he and his crew were being held captive by pirates.

A team from the Kidd boarded the Al Molai, took 15 suspected pirates into custody and freed 13 Iranian hostages, the Navy said.

The suspected pirates, mostly Somalis, were taken to the Stennis to be held until a decision is made about prosecution, Pentagon spokesman Capt. John Kirby said Friday.

Pirates hijacked the Al Molai 40 to 45 days ago, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command said in a statement. The crew was "held hostage, with limited rations and we believe were forced against their will to assist the pirates with other piracy operations," according to the statement.

The Navy team provided food, water and medical care to both the suspected pirates and the crew of the Al Molai after securing the ship and ensuring everyone was safe, Schminky said.

The crew had "been though a lot," he said.

"We went out of our way to treat the fishing crew with kindness and respect," he said.
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Pretty funny, and embarrassing for them, considering their latest posturing about their great Iranian Naval capabilities and threats of closing down the Straits of Hormuz....

TheLastBoyScout · Jan 6, 2012

Hilarious. They had been at sea for about 40 days and did the Iranian Navy with all it's prowess, come and save them?

VIDEO:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/8998484/US-Navy-rescues-Iranian-sailors-held-hostage-by-pirates.html

LOL

mdrobster · Jan 6, 2012

TheLastBoyScout said: ↑

We just saved some of Ahmadinejad's countrymen from pirates.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/06/world/meast/iran-us-navy-rescue/index.html?hpt=hp_c1

Pretty funny, and embarrassing for them, considering their latest posturing about their great Iranian Naval capabilities and threats of closing down the Straits of Hormuz....
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I think this is a great exercise for the US Navy in demonstrating the capability of the US naval power. The Iranian navy already knows the lethality of the US Navy should it try to engage it head on with their capital ships, but this incident demonstrates the ability to pluck out individuals. Any Iranian naval commander will take notice should they get over ambitious.

waltky · Jan 10, 2012

Is cause dey spend so much time ridin' camels, dey don't learn how to swim...

US ships 'in second rescue of Iranians in Gulf'
10 January 2012 - The US Coast Guard cutter Monomoy was involved in Tuesday's rescue

A US ship has picked up Iranians in trouble at sea, in the second such rescue in less than a week, the Pentagon has said. US Coast Guard cutter Monomoy rescued six Iranian mariners after their vessel broke down in the Gulf. One of the six had suffered burns and is receiving treatment, Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters. The US Navy rescued 13 Iranian fishermen last Thursday after they were captured by Somali pirates. Both incidents come at a time of heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.

'Humanitarian gesture'

In the latest incident, the six Iranians were some 50 miles (90km) south-east of the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr when they got into trouble early on Tuesday, Mr Little said. The crew used flares and flashlights to hail the passing Monomoy. The vessel's master indicated "that the engine room was flooding and [the ship was] not seaworthy", Mr Little added. The Pentagon said the Iranian mariners would be repatriated, although it has not yet been determined how. Last Thursday, forces assigned to the John C Stennis aircraft carrier group - on its way from the Gulf to Afghanistan - received a distress call from the Al Molai fishing vessel.

The ship had been boarded by pirates in the Arabian Sea more than a month ago, and its crew had been kept in "harsh conditions", the Pentagon said at the time. A US Navy spokesman said the force went out of its way to "treat the fishing crew with kindness and respect" and provided them with fuel and food for their return journey home. Washington says its forces routinely rescue sailors in distress - regardless of nationality - but wanted to highlight the two recent incidents in light of the current tensions between the two countries.

Tehran has not commented on Tuesday's incident, but described last Thursday's rescue as a "humanitarian gesture". However, days earlier Tehran had warned the carrier not to return to the region once it left for Afghanistan. Faced with the prospect of fresh sanctions over its nuclear programme, Iran has threatened to block the transport of oil through the Strait of Hormuz. Washington has rejected Iran's warning to keep its forces out of Gulf waters, and has warned it will resist any attempt by Tehran to close the Strait.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-16493551
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U.S. Navy Rescues Iranian Sailors.

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