Coast Guard Cutter Wrangell to the rescue
Did you know that our Coasties are on duty in the Arabian Gulf? A good friend’s son is currently deployed for a year to the North Arabian Gulf. Mostly what we hear is that “IT’S HOT”! Course he can’t really say a whole lot about his mission so it seems the temperature is always a safe bet to talk about.
Here’s a story about a rescue by the CGC Wrangell off the Kuwait coast:
FYI - This is a stock photo I found of the Wrangell, not of the Wrangell in the Gulf
Coast Guard Cutter Wrangell, Coalition Ships Rescue Kuwaiti Crew
OFF KUWAITI COAST - A civilian Kuwaiti vessel with four people on board sank 15 miles off the Kuwaiti coast Friday night.
The Kuwaiti Navy Operations Center contacted the Combined Maritime Forces headquarters and requested Search and Rescue support. Kuwaiti officials coordinated all diplomatic clearance arrangements for the operation.
Combined Task Force 158 took the lead of the mission and quickly commenced SAR operations, dispatching the U.S. Coast Guard coastal patrol boat Cutter Wrangell, home ported in South Portland, Maine, and a helicopter from the Australian guided missile frigate HMAS Stuart. The helicopter from Stuart launched in less than one hour from initial notification and began difficult nighttime search efforts.
The aircrew of the SH-70B-2 Seahawk located the four survivors and kept them in sight until Wrangell arrived on the scene to recover the four. All were reported in good condition, suffering only from minor exposure.
Coalition forces have a long standing tradition of helping mariners in distress by providing assistance, such as food, water and rescues at sea. This marks the fourth time during the past month Coalition ships have rendered assistance in the CMF area of operations.
CTF 158, currently commanded by Rear Adm. Kendall Card, U.S. Navy, operates in the North Arabian Gulf and oversees U.S. and coalition ships involved in Maritime Security Operations. CTF 158’s primary mission in the NAG is maintaining security in and around both the Al Basrah and Khawr Al Amaya Oil Terminals, in support of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1790.
