The official spokesman of the General Directorate of Border Guards stated that Jeddah Search and Rescue Coordination Center (JMRCC), has received a notification from the Jeddah Islamic Port and the Saudi Search and Rescue Center of the General Authority for Civil Aviation, on receiving a distress call from the HAPPINESS I ship, as the captain of the ship asked for assistance due to engine failure and the loss of control and after analyzing the information of HAPPINESS I, it turned out to be carrying the flag of Iran and its crew consists of 26 sailors, 24 Iranian nationals and 2 nationals of Bangladesh and it is a tanker carrying oil materials, located southwest (70) nautical miles towards (198) degrees, and immediately the national plan is activated to address marine disasters in the waters of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in coordination with the parties involved in the plan, where a number of ships of border guards, Saudi Ports Authority, Saudi Aramco, and Bahri Company, began to respond to the rescue operation of the ship and its crew, as well as the activation of the national plan to combat pollution, and assigning Security Aviation to survey the area to ensure that there is no environmental damage or manifestations of pollution. The spokesman added that the Kingdom received a formal request through the Saudi Permanent Delegation to the United Nations in New York from the Chargé d'Affaires of the Iranian delegation for assistance, which was launched immediately after receiving the distress call as all necessary precautions were taken for the safety of the crew, no environmental damage and providing necessary support and assistance. The spokesman of the General Directorate of the Border Guards confirmed that this action comes upon the directive of the leadership and emanates from the humanitarian role of the Kingdom Saudi Arabia, as its custom in such cases.
