THE crew of frigate HMS Montrose saved the lives of 11 Turkish sailors found drifting in life rafts in the middle of the Mediterranean.

The merchantman MV Sunshine sank in barely ten minutes after rolling 90˚ in heavy seas as she ferried marble from Trapani in Sicily to Port Said in Egypt.

All her crew managed to scramble safely into life rafts and escape from the ship before the Sunshine was devoured by the sea.

They then spent nearly two days in the Mediterranean with little food or water, until Montrose came across them by chance.

The Devonport-based Type 23 warship is on NATO duties, patrolling the Mediterranean with Allied vessels until the summer.

The warship launched her sea boat to pick up the Sunshine’s survivors and bring them back to Montrose, where the merchant captain explained in halting English that his crew had run out of food and water the day before his ship sank.

“The crew of the Sunshine went through a harrowing ordeal,” said Montrose’s CO Cdr Tony Watt.

“I’m just pleased my sailors were able to carry out that most basic of duties – saving the lives of fellow mariners.”

The Sunshine’s crew received food, drink, and dry clothes by Montrose before they were transferred to the Turkish warship TCG Gokceada to be taken to their native land.

Montrose will continue her NATO patrols until the end of July.