Drone Strike Causes Explosion on Merchant Ship in Arabian Sea; Indian Crew Safe, Coast Guard Responds

Drone Strike Causes Explosion on Merchant Ship in Arabian Sea; Indian Crew Safe, Coast Guard Responds

VoM News Desk | December 24, 2023 | 11:45 AM IST | World | Follow on Google News

Drone Strike Causes Explosion on Merchant Ship in Arabian Sea; Indian Crew Safe, Coast Guard Responds

Drone Strike Causes Explosion on Merchant Ship in Arabian Sea; Indian Crew Safe, Coast Guard Responds

A drone strike resulted in an explosion and subsequent fire aboard a merchant ship in the Arabian Sea on Saturday, with no reported casualties. The vessel, MV Chem Pluto, carrying 20 Indian crew members and crude oil en route from Saudi Arabia to Mangaluru, encountered distress about 217 nautical miles off the Porbandar coast.

Upon receiving the report, the Indian Coast Guard swiftly mobilized to aid the distressed vessel. The Coast Guard vessel, ICGS Vikram, patrolling the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone, altered its course towards the location of MV Chem Pluto. Additionally, a Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft established communication with the affected ship.

Coast Guard officials confirmed that the crew members are safe and that the distressed vessel, which initially turned off its Automatic Identification System (AIS), crucial for tracking, has resumed movement at a speed of 11 nautical miles. The ICGS Vikram is expected to rendezvous with MV Chem Pluto around 10 pm and accompany it towards Mumbai, with an estimated arrival early Monday.

Notably, this incident occurred shortly after the Indian Navy assisted in the evacuation of an injured sailor from a hijacked cargo vessel, MV Ruen, carrying the Malta flag in the Arabian Sea. Reports indicated illegal boarding by six individuals described as “pirates.”

The recent drone attack on MV Chem Pluto highlights ongoing security concerns in maritime zones, prompting heightened vigilance and rapid response measures by Indian defense and security forces to ensure the safety of vessels navigating these waters.

VoM News Desk

VoM News is an online web portal in jammu Kashmir offers regional, National & global news.