By Islamuddin Sajid
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AA) — Pakistan's Navy and Maritime Security Agency rescued nine Indian citizens stranded in the Arabian Sea, the Pakistani military announced.
In a statement late Monday night, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the Pakistani army, said the Indian citizens were stranded for 24 hours before their rescue.
The ISPR statement said the Pakistan Navy and maritime security agency had sent a "long-range maritime patrol aircraft" and the PMSS Kashmir multi-purpose vessel for the search and rescue efforts after receiving information that Indian boat (was) stranded at sea.
The Indian sailors' vessel had been afflicted by a technical defect, which the Pakistani forces repaired before rescuing them, the statement added.
It said a distress signal was received early Sunday, days after the boat started its journey from Indian port of Debhol.
The boat later resumed its voyage to the city of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.