'Op Rahat': How Navy played saviours and taskmasters

MUMBAI: From placating evacuees who insisted on food of their choice to aiding a pregnant woman and counselling those under stress, the personnel of Indian Navy did a multi-tasking to ensure that those rescued from the war-ravaged Yemen were not inconvenienced on its ships.

"Though many people were appreciative of our relief measures, some threw tantrums over food served to them and insisted on having food of their choice," Romex Das, Head of the kitchen department on board 'INS Tarkash', one of the vessels involved in the rescue mission, claimed.

Among those who insisted for food of their choice were some foreign nationals who refused Indian menu.

"We told them that it's what we have and no special arrangement could be made," Das said, during his interaction with the press here.

He said though 'INS Tarkash' and 'INS Mumbai' had enough stock of ration, they procured milk and bread only from Dijbouti.

"We also ensured that the evacuees who were ill get diet as per medical advice," Das added.

Though only four hours were at their disposal before the ships set sail, Principal Medical Officers Sudanshu Shekar and Roj Titus Ninan stocked enough of antibiotics, ointments and other drugs to deal with burn injuries.

"We faced a unique case when a 37-year-old woman who was nine-month and four days pregnant, was taken onboard," Shekar said.

Ninan said that on learning that a pregnant woman will be boarding the ship, the Navy dispatched two officers to assist her.

"As her boat was drifting in water (as the evacuees would come from Port of Aden to the Indian ships in small boats in batches), the embarking process was difficult," he said, adding the woman was immediately moved to a special room.

"She was severely dehydrated and also needed some medication. We took an oral consent from her husband to perform delivery if required," Shekar said, adding the woman delivered a baby after two hours.

When asked about the condition of evacuees, Ninan recalled most of them were under mental trauma than having major physical injuries.

"So we have to counsel them and tell them that they were onboard an Indian ship and really safe now," Ninan said.