Chinese Navy Ignores Distress Call as US and Japan Heroically Save Hijacked Tanker

In a strategic area spanning the Eastern Mediterranean, Red Sea, Gulf of Oman, Gulf of Aden, and Persian Gulf, a significant deployment of warships has been observed.

A notable incident involved the hijacking of the tanker Central Park, linked to Israel, off the coast of Yemen by Houthi Rebels on Sunday (Nov 26). The successful recovery of this vessel was executed by a joint operation between the United States Navy and the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force.

During the hijacking, the Central Park was located over 60 kilometers south of Yemen's coast, around 80 kilometers east of Djibouti, and approximately 110 kilometers, northeast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden. Notably, a Japanese destroyer collaborated with the US Navy in the rescue, while two Chinese Navy warships in close proximity did not offer any assistance.

The Central Park issued a distress call while navigating the Gulf of Aden, to which the USS Mason (DDG-87) and likely the JMSDF Akebono (DD-108) responded, leading to the successful rescue of the tanker.

In contrast, the 45th Naval Escort Task Force of the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), comprising the Urümgi (DDG-118), Lini (FFG-547), and Donspinshu (960), was also present in the area but notably refrained from responding to the distress call and did not participate in the rescue efforts.