ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Navy has launched a humanitarian rescue operation in the Arabian Sea to assist a distressed merchant vessel, providing aid to seven crew members onboard.

Security sources said six Indian nationals and one Indonesian crew member aboard the vessel MV Gautam are receiving emergency assistance after the ship developed a technical fault while sailing from Oman to India.

The emergency response was initiated after India’s Maritime Rescue and Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai contacted Pakistani authorities for help.

Following the request, the navy deployed a ship of the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, PNS Kashmir, to conduct the rescue operation.

According to officials, the affected crew members are being provided with food, medical care and technical support onboard as efforts continue to stabilise the vessel.

Authorities said the Pakistan Navy remains fully prepared to respond to emergencies at sea, reaffirming its commitment to maritime safety and humanitarian assistance in regional waters.

The navy has carried out multiple rescue operations in recent years. In April, it evacuated 18 crew members from a distressed merchant vessel in the North Arabian Sea after receiving a distress call, providing medical aid and transporting them to Karachi for further care and repatriation.