In a rare moment of maritime cooperation, the Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) launched a rescue operation to assist an Indian merchant vessel, MV Gautam, which was left drifting in the Arabian Sea following a total power failure.
The operation was initiated after the Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai contacted authorities in Islamabad to request emergency assistance for the stranded crew.
Rescue Timeline and Operations
The MV Gautam, carrying six Indians and one Indonesian crew member, was en route from Oman to India when its generators failed on May 3.
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Initial SOS: The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) in Gandhinagar was alerted late on May 4.
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Pakistan’s Response: Responding to the Mumbai MRCC’s relay, the Pakistan Navy deployed the PMSS Kashmir.
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Emergency Aid: Pakistani technical teams boarded the vessel to assess the damage. While they provided food, medical aid, and emergency supplies to stabilize the crew, the ship’s main generator was declared beyond repair.
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Drift into Indian Waters: After initially stalling in the Pakistan Search and Rescue Region (SRR), the vessel drifted approximately 262 nautical miles off the coast of Dwarka, entering the Indian SRR.
Current Status: A Navigational Hazard
While the crew is safe thanks to the intervention of the Pakistani forces, the vessel remains a significant concern for regional maritime traffic.
Current Situation: The MV Gautam is currently without propulsion and completely unlit, relying only on battery backup for limited radio communication.
The Indian Coast Guard ship Rajratan has since intercepted the vessel to monitor its position. Indian authorities have now directed the ship’s owners to arrange for a commercial tug to tow the vessel to port, as it poses a “significant navigational hazard” to other ships in the busy Arabian Sea corridor.
Humanitarian Cooperation
This rescue marks the second major humanitarian effort by the Pakistan Navy in recent weeks, following the evacuation of 18 crew members from a separate merchant vessel in the northern Arabian Sea last month. Despite broader regional tensions, the coordination between the MRCC Mumbai and Islamabad highlights the functional necessity of the Search and Rescue (SAR) protocols in international waters.
