Pakistan Navy rescues 19 people, including eight Iranians, after boat breaks down off Gwadar

The Pakistan Navy on Thursday successfully rescued a fishing boat carrying 19 crew members, including eight Iranians, after it became stranded about 120 nautical miles south of Gwadar following engine failure, bringing all those on board safely to shore despite adverse monsoon conditions in the North Arabian Sea.

In a post on The rescue operation, coordinated through the Joint Maritime Information Coordination Center (JMICC), ensured the safety of the 19 crew members, including 11 Pakistanis and eight Iranians.

The Navy said PNS Taimur provided the stranded crew with food, drinking water and medical assistance before safely towing the ship to shore despite harsh monsoon conditions.

The DGPR said the operation “underlines the readiness of Pakistan Navy to safeguard lives at sea and respond quickly to maritime emergencies.”

In a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif later praised the Pakistan Navy for the operation and praised the officers and sailors who participated in the rescue.

The prime minister said Navy personnel provided the stranded fishermen with “food, drinking water and medical assistance,” describing it as “a practical demonstration of the humanitarian spirit and professional training of our armed forces.”

Read: Pakistan secures release of sailors from ships seized by the United States

He added that “this successful rescue operation reflects the commitment and constant readiness of the Pakistan Navy to protect human lives at sea.”

President Asif Ali Zardari also paid tribute to the Pakistan Navy in a post on

The president added that protecting human lives at sea “demonstrates the Pakistan Navy’s strong commitment to its national and international responsibilities.”

The rescue comes amid a series of maritime assistance and repatriation efforts involving Pakistani authorities in recent months. On June 17, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said Pakistan was “pleased to facilitate the repatriation of 30 Iranian nationals”, including eight Iranian fishermen rescued at sea by the British ship MMA Valor and 22 Iranian crew members of the ship Lenore/Davina, which had recently been intercepted by US authorities.

Earlier, on May 15, Pakistan announced the successful repatriation of 11 Pakistani nationals and 20 Iranian nationals who had been aboard vessels seized by the United States in international waters. Earlier that month, Islamabad had also facilitated the return of 22 Iranian crew members of the Iranian container ship MV Touska, which had been captured by US forces in the Gulf of Oman. Pakistani officials described the move as a “confidence-building measure” between Washington and Tehran.