(CNN) — U.S. sailors from a carrier strike group whose recent presence in the Persian Gulf drew the ire of Iranian military officials have rescued 13 of the Middle Eastern country’s sailors from a hijacked fishing boat, a military spokesman said Friday. The destroyer USS Kidd came to the aid of the ship Thursday in the North Arabian sea, near the crucial Strait of Hormuz, according to the Navy.
The rescue prompted the captain of the freed ship to offer his “sincere gratitude,” according to Josh Schminky, a Navy Criminal Investigative Service agent aboard the Kidd. “He was afraid that without our help, they could have been there for months,” said Schminky. The rescue Thursday came two days after Iran said the United States should not send any more warships into the Persian Gulf.
The USS John Stennis Strike Group, which includes the Kidd, moved out of the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz last week, prompting Brig. Gen. Ahmad Vahidi to warn that “there is no need for the forces belonging to the countries beyond this region to have a presence in the Persian Gulf,” according to the semi-official Fars News Agency. The Navy team provided food, water and medical care to both the suspected pirates and the crew of the Al Molai after securing the ship and ensuring everyone was safe, Schminky said.
The crew had “been though a lot,” he said. “We went out of our way to treat the fishing crew with kindness and respect,” he said.
Hmm, that’s an odd statement.
The Iranians, of course, will claim that we sent the pirate ship their way.
Enterprising of the captain to get on the radio without alerting his captors. I wonder: did he specifically call the US Navy? Or was it just a general SOS, or was he trying to reach the Iranian navy?
Whats the odd statement? The sentence immediately preceding? “Out of our way….”===yeah, ok. a bit too much emPHAsis? I would bet they did not go out of their way at all except to say so.
I thought the whole deal with pirated ships was that the pirates would kill the whole crew if a rescue ship got too near? I’d think a destroyer would be easy to see unless its cloaking device was turned to 11?
A complete military engagement: All Iranian Military Forces vs one US Carrier Group. How many hours would it last?
Yes an odd statement. You rescue people, treating them with kindness and respect would be the norm.
Sometimes I just don’t “get” you.
McCullough–I thought I was being pretty straightforward: You and I agree the USA military acted with kindness and respect just as we expect as the norm. THAT being the case, why did the CIS agent issue a statement saying they “went out of their way?” You see, I am critiquing the “officials” with the same value system that you challenge what is my ambiguity to you. I think I get you all the time: I just take each issue and comment as they appear and don’t assume you agree with whatever is posted. My main failing we be that in the first case, I take postings at face value. I get suckered a lot that way–relying on evidence.
Pedro?==Always a champion of the oppressed and downtrodden.
are you kidding? there i said it.
We can all agree this is exactly the outcome that earns our awesome military and amazing Commander in Chief, Pres Obama, the respect and envy of the world.
A ship at sea in international waters is a sovereign state, the captain is head of state. Basically, in internatioanal law, a captain with a fighting ship is a king. In this circumstance, a good one.
Apologies for my last post, I have no idea where that came from.
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner?
Wow, people still blindly accept the governments account as the truth. We’re screwed
Yes, Osama is freeze dried at an area 51 locker
I would hope the folks on that pirated boat and also the carrier force people gave each other a discrete thumbs up when nobody was looking. Who knows maybe they will help us out too, someday. Enough of all the dumb nationalistic bullshit already.
Perhaps there will eventually be a movie about it…”The Iranians Are Coming! The Iranians Are Coming!”
Good Job USS Kidd Rescues.