MANAMA, Bahrain - USS Chosin, the Combined Task Force 151 flagship, rescued three stranded Yemeni fishermen in the Gulf of Aden, Nov. 17.
According to the fishermen, they were left stranded in the water after 12 suspected pirates hijacked their vessel. The fishermen also said that the pirates gave them an ultimatum to either jump overboard with only a wooden plank as a flotation device or be killed.
After surviving for three days with only a few bottles of water, a passing merchant vessel spotted them in the water. The merchant vessel notified coalition forces and a Chosin rescue team picked up the stranded fishermen.
Chosin medical personnel treated the fishermen and the ship gave them food and water. Once the fishermen were deemed to be medically stable, Chosin transferred the fishermen to a Yemeni naval vessel.
CTF 151 is a multinational task force established to conduct counter piracy operations under a mission-based mandate throughout the Combined Maritime Forces area of responsibility to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy in order to protect global maritime security and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all nations. CTF 151 currently includes naval forces from the United States, Spain, United Kingdom, Pakistan, Australia, and Turkey.