Indian Navy’s mission deployed stealth frigate INS Trikand, operating in the Central Arabian Sea, to provide critical medical assistance to a Pakistani crew member on a fishing vessel operating approximately 350 nautical miles east of the Oman coast.

“INS Trikand on the morning of April 4, intercepted a distress call from an Iranian dhow, Al Omeedi. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that a crew member of the dhow had sustained severe injuries to his fingers while working on the engine and was in critical condition and that he had been transferred to another dhow named fishing vessel Abdul Rehman Hanzia, which was en route to Iran,” the Defence Ministry said in a communiqué on Sunday.

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Informing that Trikand immediately altered her course to provide medical assistance to the injured crew member, it said, “The crew of fishing vessel Abdul Rehman Hanzia consisted of 11 Pakistani (nine Baloch and two Sindhi) and five Iranian personnel. The injured individual, a Pakistani (Baloch) national, had suffered multiple fractures and severe hand injuries, resulting in heavy blood loss.”

The Medical Officer of INS Trikand, along with a team comprising Marine Commandos (MARCOS ) and the Ship’s Boarding Team, boarded the fishing vessel to administer aid. After providing local anesthesia, the medical team performed suturing and splinting on the injured fingers, as per the Ministry.

The surgical procedure, which lasted for over three hours, was successfully completed, and bleeding was controlled in time, thereby preventing potential permanent loss of the injured fingers due to gangrene, it said.

Additionally, medical supplies, including antibiotics were provided to the fishing to ensure the crew’s well-being until they reached Iran, it added.