A U.S. Navy P-8 aircraft was first on scene after the call was received. The aircraft dropped a search and rescue kit that included a life raft, which the 14 mariners boarded.
Motor Vessel Jabal Ali 9 later arrived at the scene. The vessel successfully recovered 11 crew members from the raft.
An MH-60S Sea Hawk assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln rescued three additional mariners. The rescue took place after their life raft capsized in rough seas.
The three mariners were transported to Motor Vessel Jabal Ali 9. The Navy said they were in good health and spirits.
The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy also responded to the distress call. The Navy did not provide further details on the vessel or the circumstances that left the mariners stranded.
The U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations covers nearly 2.5 million square miles of water. It includes the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman, Red Sea, parts of the Indian Ocean and three critical choke points at the Strait of Hormuz, Suez Canal and Bab al-Mandeb.
