KARACHI, June 19: The crew of the ill-fated MV Suez has been shifted to PNS Babur on the orders of Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Noman Bashir.

A press release issued by the Public Relations Directorate of Pakistan Navy here on Sunday said the evacuation of MV Suez crew had been completed and all 22 members, 11 Egyptians, six Indians, four Pakistanis and one Sri Lankan, were safely onboard PNS Babur.

The Egyptian owner of the ship abandoned the crew and the ship and Admiral Bashir ordered the transfer of the crew to the naval ship on humanitarian grounds.

It said the crew members would be transferred to Pakistan Navy frigate PNS Zulfiquar for onward journey to Pakistan. PNS Babur would resume its counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, it added.

The plan to drag the ship to Salalah had to be abandoned when the tug sent by the owners of MV Suez also developed some trouble.

Operation Umeed-i-Nau, as the navy called the rescue operation, was initiated by Pakistan Navy when the captain of MV Suez requested escort, after release from Somali pirates.

PNS Babur, deployed on counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, was tasked to provide all necessary assistance to the Panama-flagged MV Suez.

On June 16, the warship commenced humanitarian assistance, which included transfer of commandos and medical teams and medicines and food.

Having been in captivity for 10 months, operational and material state of MV Suez had deteriorated considerably. The crewmen were weak and suffered from various ailments.

Pakistan Navy’s commandos and doctors remained onboard MV Suez to provide necessary assistance.