“Mayday, Mayday” was the call received by all the ships on sail in the Arabian Sea. “Mayday… We need to be rescued… we are on fire and drowning.“

The message was heard on a guard frequency by all the military and civilian ships on sail in the area. It was relayed by the Japanese oil tanker Stanvac, which had caught fire after some explosions in the engine room. The accident took place 160 miles off Karachi harbor on October 19, 1958. There was a high risk of the oil tanker exploding and drowning with all crew on board.

The message was also forwarded to Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Base Mauripur (later Masroor), the leading search and rescue domain in the area. However, the PAF had limited capacity for rescue support missions and had no expertise in dealing with such an emergency. The only suitable aircraft that could have been employed was HU 16/SA-16 (Albatross), an amphibian aircraft that could land both on land and at sea. As PAF had never carried out such a rescue mission before, there were no set procedures to save the people on board and evacuate them safely. Moreover, the PAF had only two amphibian flying machines and a few crew members. Flight Lieutenant Sikandar Ali, of Bengali origin, was one of them.

Air forces worldwide transform raw human resource into professional air warriors. The fighter pilots are known for dropping bombs on target during a war. However, the crew also train for engagements in rescue and support missions. Such missions and support are often overshadowed by stories of wartime activities. These saviours are also deployed on 24-hour duty along with frontline flyers encountering all types of emergencies. They are commonly seen rescuing distressed people and distributing food following natural disasters. Even in peacetime, they operate day and night, keeping themselves and their flying machines fit for any contingencies. Compared to the fighter breed, they are more exposed to weather, resonance, jerks, constant noise produced by the engine and unpredictable shocks while landing. These hazards can result in loss of hearing, heart palpitations and other health conditions.

When Flight Lieutenant Sikandar Ali rushed to the flight lines for an initial briefing, he was told that it could be a one-way mission. The PAF may not send the other SA-16 for rescue if they met an emergency. There were no islands in the 160-mile between the shore and the scene of rescue. He was given the option to fly or no-fly. He accepted the challenge and took off with the crew on board.

On their way to the site, they realized how daunting the task was. They knew that they are were at a greater risk as a mission for their rescue may not be possible. SA-16 had been recently inducted (hardly ten months earlier) and there was only one stand-by in the hangar. They also knew that there were not enough spares available. The PAF had only a couple of people qualified to fly the jet. Hence no attrition, both in terms of manpower and machine, was affordable.

Flight Lieutenant Sikandar Ali rushed to the flight lines for an initial briefing. He was told that it could be a one-way mission. The PAF may not send another SA-16 for the rescue if they met an emergency. There were no islands in the 160-mile radius between the shore and the scene of occurrence. He was given the option to fly or no-fly.

The location of the stranded oil tanker had a unique pattern of airflow. Due to Somali currents, the wind constantly reversed at about 13 kilometres per hour, making it difficult for a small flying machine to remain stable. Summer monsoon currents were also located simultaneously. Both these winds were gyre-located during the season, threatening the security of the aircraft and its crew. SA-16 (Albatross) was a toy against such strong winds. Upwelling of deep water was also a frequent phenomenon in the season. This raised the possibility of the entire aircraft being swallowed by the high-rising tides. The thick sea saltwater would also damage the aircraft surface. The October weather also reduced oxygen in the air so that the rescuers could have difficulty breathing and pass out.

They also had a limited seating capacity and did not know the strength of the crew to be evacuated. An oil tanker can carry 50-60 personnel on board so that more round-off sorties might be required. There was also the possibility of panic among the passengers resulting in damage or affecting the flight safety principles related to the aircraft. Four to five sorties appeared to be likely. In the process there would be need for refuelling of the aircraft at the PAF Base, Masroor. In case of a technical failure, the aircraft might not return or take another trip.

On reaching the site, Flight Lieutenant Sikandar Ali spotted the oil tanker on fire. To make more explosions unlikely, the stored oil had been dropped in the sea as was standard practice. The oil tanker had circled round to drop off the oil load. The entire circular passage in the sea was now on fire, engulfing the oil tanker in a ball of fire. The tanker could no longer move or expect outside help. Due to ongoing fire, the ship was sinking slowly.

The flying machine, meanwhile, was full of aviation fuel that has a low boiling point and a low flash point. Fire around the rescue aircraft threatened to cause the fuel it was carrying to catch fire. The aircraft could then have turned into a ball of fire with probable casualties. The sea was rough so that stable positioning to bring the oil tanker crew aboard the aircraft required great courage and professionalism. It was becoming harder by the minute as the oil tanker crew (desperate for life) had to be evacuated on the wild rising waves. The humid and salty atmosphere was making it more difficult to breathe.

Flight Lieutenant Sikandar landed the SA-16 through the fire and found that some of the oil tanker’s crew had suffered severe burns and died. The fire was still spreading. However, the dedicated aircrew immediately rescued the oil tanker crew - about 50 of them – making several trips from the base to the ship and back. Flight safety, security, professionalism and dedication remained the hallmark of this PAF team in fulfilling their duties. The injured persons were taken to the PNS Shifa Naval Hospital for immediate medical treatment by the PAF personnel receiving these victims at the shore. 19 casualties were observed. These included the captain of the ship.

The government of Japan appreciated the rescue mission by the PAF team and a letter of gratitude was sent to the president of Pakistan. The next day a special aircraft from Japan arrived and took the rescued men home. The SA-16 aircraft was thoroughly washed under proper pressure at a maintenance depot at PAF Base on Drigh Road and cleared of the seawater salts and phosphates deposited on the surface during the operation.

The writer retired as an air commodore in the PAF.   He is the recipient of a Sitara– i-Imtiaz     (Star of Distinction)