TCG Gaziantep Helps Egyptian Fishermen

El Halevi drifting. Official Turkish General Staff Photo.

F-490 TCG Gaziantep helped a drifting Egyptian fishing boat off the coast of Libya according to an announcement of Turkish General Staff.

TCG Gaziantep is one of the 4 frigates Turkish Navy has assigned to NATO’s Operation Unified Protector, enforcing the arms embargo against Libya.

The fishing boat El-Halevi was drifting in a storm after an engine failure.

On 1. April 2011, the distress call of this boat was heard by the Turkish frigate, which quickly sailed to the stricken boat. Upon establishing contact with the fishing boat, it turned out that boat with 15 people on board was drifting for the last 12 days.

On 2. April the defective batteries of M/V El-Halevi were taken to TCG Gaziantep for a repair. On the next day as the weather improved the technical assistance teams of TCG Gaziantep boarded the Egyptian vessel repairing the engines and replacing the batteries.

After receiving fresh water and food from the Turkish frigate, the fishing boat returned to Egypt.

For more photos click here.