US Navy destroyer assists stranded Iranian vessel

The U.S. Navy said on January 29 that one of its destroyers helped a stranded Iranian dhow on January 27. 

Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Cole (DDG 67) responded to a distress call from an Iranian-flagged dhow and provided assistance to the 75-foot stranded dhow by supplying 17 gallons of diesel fuel.

The Iranian vessel was stranded in the Gulf of Oman but the navy did not specify where.

“We have an important role and responsibility to aid our fellow mariners in distress,” said Cmdr. David Wroe, commanding officer of Cole. “It was a pleasure to use our training to support the sailors with something even as little as a few cans of fuel.”

Cole is currently deployed in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations and theater security operation efforts.