Spanish Warship Assists Iranian Drifting Dhow

OPV TORNADO'S CREW EMBARK ON DRIFTING VESSEL
OPV TORNADO’S CREW EMBARK ON DRIFTING VESSEL

Spanish Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) ‘Tornado’, integrated into the European Union operation ‘Atalanta’ fighting piracy in the Indian Ocean, has assisted an Iranian dhow-type boat sailing adrift for lack of fuel and with scarce food.

 

The Spanish Navy warship was patrolling the IRTC (Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor) in the Gulf of Aden providing protection to the merchant shipping in the area, when the crew spotted a dhow adrift.

SPANISH CREW APPROACH THE DHOW
SPANISH CREW APPROACH THE DHOW

The ‘Tornado’ dispatched a Boarding Team and the dhow’s captain informed that they had run out of fuel, and food was scarce. The Spanish Navy OPV provided the necessary fuel and food, but the dhow’s engine had start-up problems and did not work. Technicians endeavored to fix the engine but to no avail. At the end it was decided to tow the dhow towards Omani waters.

OPV TORNADO TOWS THE DHOW
OPV TORNADO TOWS THE DHOW

The Iranian boat was towed for 10 hours to the vicinity of the Omani island of Al Halanyllah where the ‘Tornado’ got in contact with Omani Navy and Coast Guard authorities to transfer the custody of the broken-down Iranian boat. After that, the ‘Tornado’ returned to the operations area to continue with her maritime surveillance tasks in the Gulf of Aden.


OPV TORNADO SPECIFICATIONS
Length 93.9m
Beam 14.2m
Draught 4.2m
Displacement 2,500 t (full load)
Speed 20+ kn
Complement 35 crew and 35 forces
Range 8700 mi
Status active

[mappress]
Press Release, February 28, 2014; Image: Spanish Navy