Amid escalating concerns over attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi militants, the Indian Navy swiftly responded to a drone strike on a Liberian-flagged commercial vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Monday. The incident marked another in a series of attacks on merchant vessels, prompting the Indian Navy to extend assistance to numerous ships in the western Indian Ocean in recent weeks.
Immediate response and assistance
According to reports, the vessel, transiting about 90 nautical miles southeast of Aden, reported a fire resulting from a drone or missile attack. The Indian Navy's INS Kolkata, engaged in maritime security operations in the region, promptly arrived at the scene of the incident at 2230 hours.
"INS Kolkata, mission deployed in the region for maritime security operations, promptly responded and arrived at the scene of the incident by 10.30 pm," the Navy statement read.
Specialised support teams deployed
Upon arrival, a specialised firefighting team comprising 12 personnel from INS Kolkata boarded the vessel to aid firefighting efforts. Additionally, a specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team also embarked on the vessel to assist in residual risk assessment.
"A specialised firefighting team of 12 personnel from INS Kolkata embarked on the vessel early in the morning hours of March 5 to assist in the firefighting efforts. Specialist EOD Team also embarked the vessel and provided assistance in residual risk assessment," it added.
The Indian Navy's proactive response underscored its commitment to ensuring maritime security and safeguarding commercial shipping in the region.
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