KARACHI: Pakistan Navy (PN) personnel in a rescue operation saved lives of 18 fishermen whose boat sank off the Balochistan coast on Sunday.

According to a PN statement, Al-Rehman boat with 18 fishermen on board had sailed from Karachi on Dec 25, but lost its propulsion as both of its engines failed and the fishermen sent out a distress call that their boat had been flooded heavily with water and would sink soon if not rescued immediately.

The call was received by PN staff at the Jinnah Naval Base, Ormara, and a PN rescue team was immediately dispatched to the scene of the incident.

The rescue team faced strong chilly winds and extremely poor visibility, but after nearly an hour long search and rescue operation, overseen by the commander of the base from the rescue craft, rescued all the severely dehydrated fishermen from the boat.

The fishermen were later brought to the naval base and provided medical treatment, the statement said.

Published in Dawn January 16th, 2017