Royal Navy warship HMS Duncan has come to the aid of an injured Iranian fisherman injured in the central Persian Gulf.
The Type 45 destroyer was on a routine day at sea when crew heard a ‘Mayday’ call and immediately turned to help the dhow OLI-1.
Less than an hour after the emergency request was made, the ship’s doctor was transferred to the dhow using one of HMS Duncan’s sea boats.
The doctor and a trained medical first-aider were able to treat the man’s head injuries as well as provide medical assistance to another sick fisherman.
A helicopter evacuation to hospital was organised for one of the fishermen, but as a result of the treatment he received from Duncan’s medics, he was stabilised enough for him to stay on the vessel for the three-day journey home.
To help the dhow crew’s journey home, their medical kit was replenished from HMS Duncan’s medical supplies.
The vessel, which left her home port of Portsmouth in March, recently visited Qatar to support the elite Joint Command and Staff College which trains officers from Qatar, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Oman.
Duncan is due to continue her deployment in the Middle East until the end of the year.
Image: Royal Navy