Guided missile frigate HMAS Newcastle and People’s Liberation Army – Navy (PLA-N) warship Mianyang launched the search in waters 350 nautical miles north of the Seychelle Islands after the Taiwanese fishing boat was located badly damaged by fire late last month.
Fourteen survivors, one Taiwanese and 13 Filipino crewmen, who abandoned the sinking vessel were recovered from a life raft by another Taiwanese fishing vessel but others remain missing.
Newcastle commanding officer Commander Paul O’Grady said the ship’s Seahawk helicopter located the burnt out fishing vessel and a boarding party subsequently boarded to search for survivors. None were found.
Mianyang, also using her helicopter, later located a second life raft with no survivors aboard.
Commander O’Grady said Mianyang and Newcastle worked well together.
‘The cooperation between the RAN and PLA-N was excellent and demonstrates the commitment that all mariners share to the principal of safety of life at sea,’ he said in a defence statement.
Chief of Joint Operations Lieutenant General Ash Power said Newcastle was deployed in the Middle East as Australia’s contribution to the international campaign against terrorism, counter smuggling and counter piracy in the Gulf of Aden region.
‘This search and rescue mission shows how our presence in the area can help save lives at sea by assisting mariners in trouble as a result of things beyond their control,’ he said in the statement.