Indian Navy rescues critically injured Chinese sailor

India and China worked together to rescue a critically injured Chinese sailor, aboard the vessel Zhong Shan Men. The incident occurred on July 23 when the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center in Mumbai received a distress call from the Chinese ship, 370km off the coast, reporting a severe injury to a 51-year-old sailor that led to significant blood loss.

Despite ‘challenging weather conditions with winds over 45 knots and heavy rolling of the ship,’ a helicopter from the Indian Navy’s INS Shikra air station was dispatched and managed to airlift the injured sailor from the bridge wing of the vessel. The sailor was then transported to the air station and subsequently transferred to a hospital for further medical treatment. An Indian Coast Guard vessel was also redirected to provide additional assistance to the Chinese carrier.

Relations between India and China remain as frosty as the ‘Line of Actual Control’ that is disputed. The world’s highest altitude border dispute has threatened to turn violent many times, however diplomatic efforts are ongoing to resolve tensions. Life-saving cooperation like this surely can’t hurt.