More accidents in Arabian Sea: US Navy rescues another Iranian Fishing Vessel - the third in ten days

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More accidents in Arabian Sea: US Navy rescues another Iranian Iran...

The United States Navy has rescued a sinking Iranian fishing boat making it the U.S.'s third naval rescue this month for the country. 

A distress call by the dhow was spotted in the central Arabian Sea Wednesday morning by a Maritime Strike Squadron 71 helicopter alerting the nearby USS Dewey, a guided-missile destroyer, of its condition. 

'Our first priority was to make sure that all of the crew (of the fishing vessel) was safe,' Lt. Will Jourdan, the pilot of the helicopter said in a Navy press release obtained by Fox News.

Distress: A distress call by an Iranian dhow was spotted in the central Arabian Sea Wednesday morning by a Maritime Strike Squadron 71 helicopter alerting the nearby USS Dewey, a guided-missile destroyer, of its condition

Aid: Sailors from the guided-missile destroyer USS Dewey provided food, water and medical supplies to distressed Iranian mariners Wednesday

It's not entirely clear how many passengers were on board the ship as the helicopter originally just saw one fisherman in distress according to the Fox report.

USS Dewey had been in the area for maritime security operations when the vessel was spotted

 

'Once we talked with their captain, it was clear that they needed food and water,' said Lt. J.G. Jason Dawson, the destroyer's visit, board, search and seizer team's leader in the press release. 

'I am extremely proud of our John C. Stennis Strike Group Sailors for demonstrating once again their readiness to render life-saving assistance at sea,' Rear Adm. Craig Faller, said in the release. 

Position: The USS Dewey had been in the area for maritime security operations that morning when the vessel was spotted in distress

Saved: The sinking dhow was moved on board one of two other seaworthy dhows who are believed to have also come to its aid

The crew provided food, water and both medical and hygienic supplies for over two hours to the crew after the sinking dhow was moved on board one of two other seaworthy dhows.

Just last week a U.S. Coast Guard cutter rescued six other Iranian sailors from a cargo ship found in distress in the Arabian Gulf after signaling with flares and flashlights early Tuesday morning.

That incident had been dismissed by Iran's state new agency as a 'Hollywood stunt' just days before the country sentenced a U.S. citizen to death for allegedly being an undercover CIA spy.

Previous help: Just last week a U.S. Coast Guard cutter rescued six other Iranian sailors from a cargo ship found taking on water in the Arabian Gulf after signaling its distress with flares and flashlights early Tuesday morning

Third rescue: The second rescue last week was called a Hollywood stunt by Iran's president which followed a third rescue this month of Iranian men stranded at sea for 40 days after their ship was taken by suspected pirates

Those men follow just days after a third Iranian fishing ship was taken over by suspected Somali pirates in the northern Arabian sea, abandoning its crew to a smaller boat for more than 40 days before they were found by a U.S. Navy destroyer on January 5. 

Those men were released on dry land to the Navy's description of them '...waving to us wearing USS Kidd Navy ball caps,' according to Rear Adm. Craig S. Faller, commander of the U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group involved in the rescue.

Mr Faller, speaking from the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis in the Arabian Sea, said the fishermen, who had been living off the fish they could catch, expressed their thanks and are believed to be headed back to their homeport in Iran