International Task Force Mobilizes to Rescue Distressed Commercial Vessel

The USS Mason and partner nation naval vessels responded to a distress call from the commercial shipping vessel M/V Central Park, which had been boarded by five armed individuals in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen. The crew managed to lock themselves in a safe haven while the armed individuals attempted to take control of the ship. After the arrival of the USS Mason and allied ships, the armed individuals fled in a small boat and were detained. Two ballistic missiles were later fired towards the Mason and the Central Park, but both ships remained undamaged.