An Everyday Heroism? Turkish Sailors Take A 80 Miles Boat Ride In The Middle Of The Indian Ocean

The original text of the thank you note. Photo: Turkish General Staff.

Today, The Turkish General Staff website run a thank you note (an e-mail actually) from a recovering Turkish merchant sailor who got very ill when his ship was in Gulf of Aden 15 days ago.

According to the e-mail, the sailor, electrician officer on board of M/V Tuna 7 (in the actual e-mail the name of the ship is not mentioned but the maritime portal denizhaber.com confirmed the ship) got sick at very late night on 13th January 2013.

The ship was in a convoy protected by the Chinese Navy.  The Chinese warship offered help over the radio but this was not enough.

The Turkish frigate F-496 TCG Gökova was 80 miles away at this point but the ship send its RHIB any way with the executive officers, medical officer and a small security team on board. This team performed the first medical treatment to the ill sailor who was later transferred to a hospital in Salalah, Oman.

It is no easy feat to travel 80 miles on a small boat in the middle of pirate infested waters in the dead of the night to save a life. Hats off to those who made gave this episode a happy ending.