Sailors aboard the frigate USS Reuben James recently rescued two Kenyans in the Arabian Sea after their small fishing boat lost power and was being pushed toward a rocky shoal by high winds and seas.

Two other Kenyans on the dhow had already drowned attempting to swim to shore, according to a Navy press release.

The frigate was taking part in anti-terrorism maritime security operations as part of the Pakistani-led Task Force 150 in the gulf on June 23 when they were ordered to find and rescue the dhow’s crew.

The ship headed to the dhow’s reported location and launched one of its two SH-60B helicopters to find the vessel and assess options for the rescue.

“The seas were treacherous — 10- to 12-foot swells — and wind speed was pushing 40 knots,” said Cmdr. Logan Jones, captain of the Reuben James. “The dhow’s engine had stopped operating, and the boat was steadily drifting toward the rocky shoals south of Al Kuri, Yemen.”

The helicopter’s crew spotted the dhow and notified the ship that an immediate rescue attempt was necessary.

“The two dhow crew members were exhausted, having been stranded for days with no sleep,” Jones said. “The boat was pitching violently in the seas, and the crew members were hanging onto the boat’s structures for dear life. It wouldn’t have been long before the boat would’ve been broken up by the nearby rocks and the crew killed by the pounding seas and undertow.”

“When we had first showed up, we saw that the dhow had broken its anchor line and was about 200 yards away from the coast, and getting closer,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Eaan Green.

After attempting to rescue the fishermen directly from the boat, rescue swimmer Petty Officer 3rd Class Tim Hines entered the sea and talked the men into the water, which allowed the helicopter better access to hoist them aboard.

Moments later, according to the release, the dhow was destroyed on the rocks.

The Kenyans were flown to the Reuben James, treated for their injuries and later dropped off at an unnamed port.