FS Cassard rescues seafarers during Franco-Kuwaiti exercise Pearl of the West

French Navy anti-air warfare destroyer FS Cassard rescued twelve crew members of the Panama-flagged asphalt-bitumen tanker Durban Queen in the Persian Gulf on November 20.

FS Cassard was en route to Kuwait and exercise Pearl of the West when it received a distress call from the nearby tanker.

According to the French defense ministry, the destroyer was preparing for a refueling at sea at the time of the call.

A helicopter was sent to the stricken vessel, which had listed and was taking on water. Four crew members from the tanker were airlifted to a nearby merchant vessel, while the remaining eight mariners were evacuated to the frigate.

After rendering assistance to the asphalt-bitumen tanker, FS Cassard continued its transit to Kuwait where it joined Air Force and Army units for the quadrennial exercise Pearl of the West which is scheduled to conclude on November 29.