Five Syrian sailors stranded on a deteriorating vessel off the Jazan coast for six months were rescued after coordination between the Syrian Embassy in Riyadh and Saudi authorities. The crew faced severe shortages of food, drinking water, and fuel while enduring harsh Red Sea weather.
Captain Walid Mohammad Abu Bakr, a native of Arwad Island in Syria, said the vessel’s owner abandoned the crew. The crisis began when maritime inspectors and port authorities in Jazan refused to let the ship enter port for loading operations because of its poor technical condition.
The vessel’s owner, a Yemeni businessman who purchased the ship six months earlier, later withdrew from shipping agency arrangements and disappeared. Financial obligations were left unresolved, and the owner left the crew stranded on board.
Abu Bakr contacted the Syrian Embassy through its emergency hotline. Embassy officials contacted relevant Saudi authorities to arrange assistance and facilitate the sailors’ entry into the Kingdom.
The embassy stated the intervention was part of its responsibility to protect Syrian citizens abroad. It expressed appreciation to Saudi authorities for their cooperation in resolving the matter.
During the six-month ordeal, the crew suffered from shortages of supplies. As electricity supplies dwindled, the sailors were forced to ration power despite the heat and humidity in the Red Sea.
Saudi border guard and port officials boarded the vessel to investigate the situation. Abu Bakr provided documentation showing that the crew bore no responsibility for the ship’s condition.
The captain described the vessel as more than 45 years old and plagued by structural and mechanical defects. Holes in the hull, keel, and ballast tanks caused water leaks, while aging generators and a malfunctioning main engine threatened safety.
Contacting the Syrian Embassy prompted official efforts to pressure the shipping agent. Abu Bakr praised embassy staff for their intervention, which led to the sailors being transferred to Jeddah ahead of their planned return to Syria.
While stranded at sea, Abu Bakr wrote his first book, a 120-page manuscript titled Healing Begins with Returning to God, inspired by his experiences and reflections during the ordeal.
