Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Kanawha assisted the crew of a ship in distress in the , May 4.
Dunia, a 15-meter dhow with a crew of 10, experienced a serious engine problem, leaving it unable to operate at sea. Kanawha, which was nearby, responded.
Kanawha engineers went aboard the dhow to troubleshoot the problem. Once they determined repairs would need to be completed ashore, Combined Task Force 150 sent their nearest ship, USS Shoup, to tow the dhow toward Yemeni territorial waters, close to Al Mukala, where a tugboat was waiting to bring the small boat pierside.
The dhow arrived in Yemeni territorial waters May 6.
Kanawha and Shoup also provided the dhow’s crew with food, water and medical support during the two days.
Coalition forces have a longstanding tradition of helping mariners in distress by providing medical assistance, engineering assistance as well as search and rescue.