Royal Navy frigate HMS Marlborough has rescued 12 merchant seamen from the Arabian Gulf.

The entire crew of the mv Haydara had abandoned their ship when its cargo of cement shifted, causing the freighter to take on a dangerous list to port in the middle of the night last Thursday (December 16).

The sailors were picked up and treated for exposure and shock on boar the frigate, where they were fed and given clean, dry clothing.

Just after dawn on the same day the Master of the ship went back on board to assess the situation, and the crew subsequently reboarded the vessel and shifted the crew to correct the list – a task which took several hours.

Once the list had been corrected and the Haydara stabilised, the ship continued on her way.
The Type 23 frigate had been alerted by a mayday signal, and was guided to the scene by a coalition forces’ helicopter.

Two rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) were sent out by the frigate and guided through the night to the civilian sailors, who were sheltering in life rafts.

They were taken back to Marlborough by the RIBs.

RN survey ship HMS Echo and the American Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex played a supporting role throughout the incident.

HMS Marlborough sailed from Portsmouth at the beginning of November to undertake maritime security patrols in the northern Gulf, including the protection of two major oil terminals through which much of Iraq’s oil exports flow.

The frigate’s rugby team had a chance to stretch their legs as the ship made its way out to the Gulf, taking on the Episkopi Eagles in Cyprus.

The problem was that the Eagles owed a heavy debt to Fiji when the squad was picked – and the Fijians – serving with the 1st battalion, Royal Highland Fusiliers, were a force to be reckoned with.

The Eagles are a team selected from soldiers, RAF personnel, the Royal Military Police, teachers and bandsmen, and they were too strong for Marlborough’s sailors, despite a promising start.

The frigate team were looking reasonably comfortable when two quick tries for the home side after 20 minutes opened the floodgates to what would prove to be a final tally of 11 tries.

The Navy team lever gave up, and excellent last-ditch defence prevented an even higher score being notched – even the Eagles had words of encouragement for the spirit shown by their beaten foe as they trudged off the field at the wrong end of 61-0 scoreline.

Rugby pictures by Cpl Will Craig