The Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) rescued the crew of a merchant vessel that was stranded in Karachi's south on Friday, the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

According to the press release, the PMSA's Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre was alerted that merchant vessel Suvari H — sailing from Kandla, India to Bossasso, Somalia — had gotten stranded approximately 180 nautical miles in the sea south of Karachi with 18 crew members on board.

"Pakistan Navy in coordination with PMSA immediately tasked ships and aircraft to provide assistance to the stranded ship and save precious lives," the ISPR said.

After arriving at the scene, navy and PMSA aircraft dropped life rafts to assist the stranded crew and coordinated their recovery through nearby merchant vessel MT Elan Vital, it added.

It said 15 crew members had been rescued, while three were still missing with a search and rescue operation underway to locate them.

"​Pakistan Navy, being [the] overall coordinator of Navarea IX, always accords priority to maritime safety and responds immediately to render assistance to shipping community in distress at sea."