Te Mana rescues six men in Gulf of Oman

6.00pm

The New Zealand frigate Te Mana rescued six men from a small boat in distress in the Gulf of Oman on Thursday, Commander Andy Watts, Te Mana's commanding officer, said today.

HMNZS Te Mana, in the gulf since February as part of an international anti-terrorism effort, came across the vessel during a patrol in the southern approaches to the Straits of Hormuz, Cdr Watts said.

The 5m fibreglass runabout, was sailing from Oman to Iran, and had been in trouble for some time before the rescue 20 nautical miles off the Iranian coast.

Aboard were the boat's crew and men rescued from two other runabouts, lost in very rough seas and bad weather.

Cdr Watts said the boat had been passed by other ships before it managed to get Te Mana's attention.

The six men, all Iranian aged from 15-28 years, were brought aboard Te Mana and given hot drinks and food along with blankets and dry clothing.

A ship medic said the men were in good health.

Te Mana towed the men's boat to two nautical miles off the Iranian Coast in calm waters and provided the men with food and blankets before leaving.

"The group departed for the Iranian shore with waves and smiles, obviously thankful of the assistance that Te Mana had provided," Cdr Watts said.

The frigate is operating in the Gulf of Oman as part of the multi-national Maritime Interception Operation (MIO) aimed at detecting and deterring movement of Taleban and al Qaeda personnel between the Middle East and East Africa.

Te Mana joined the Canadian led-MIO task force in February and will return to New Zealand next month.

- NZPA