The Indian Navy has launched an investigation right into a suspected drone strike on a Mangalore-bound cargo vessel off India’s west coast within the Arabian Sea even because the service provider ship is on its technique to Mumbai, officers conversant in the matter mentioned on December 24.
The Navy and the Indian Coast Guard swung into motion by deploying their belongings together with a warship and maritime patrol plane on December 23 quickly after the U.Okay. Maritime Commerce Operations, or UKMTO, reported the drone “attack” on MV Chem Pluto that has round 20 Indian crew members.
There was no report of any casualty within the incident.
The Liberian flagged vessel is now on its technique to Mumbai and Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram is offering safety to it, the officers mentioned.
The Navy has launched an investigation into the incident together with into the origin of the strike, mentioned an official on the situation of anonymity because the matter is delicate in nature.
The vessel, carrying crude oil to the New Mangalore port from the Al Jubail port in Saudi Arabia, was struck about 217 nautical miles from Porbandar, mentioned one other official.
The Navy despatched stealth guided-missile destroyer INS Mormugao to the situation of the drone strike on December 23 and the officers mentioned the warship is within the technique of inspecting numerous particulars referring to the assault, the officers mentioned.
The incident got here in opposition to the backdrop of Iran-backed Houthi rebels stepping up assaults on ships within the Purple Sea amid the Israel-Hamas battle.
Late final evening, the Indian Coast Guard mentioned MV Chem Pluto began making manner in the direction of Mumbai port enterprise harm evaluation and repairs on its energy era techniques.
“The Coast Guard Dornier aircraft has sanitised the area and established communication with Chem Pluto. The vessel has started making way towards Mumbai post undertaking damage assessment and repairs on its power generation systems,” it mentioned.
“The vessel is likely to enter Mumbai and sought escort assistance due to steering issues. Indian Coast Guard Ship Vikram will be escorting the ship during its passage. The Indian Coast Guard Operations Centre is monitoring the situation closely,” it mentioned.
Earlier on December 23, the UKMTO, which operates below Britain’s Royal Navy, mentioned it acquired a report of an assault by Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) on a vessel inflicting an explosion and hearth, including the incident occurred 200 nautical miles South West of Veraval in India.
It mentioned the hearth was “extinguished” and there have been no casualties.
The Coast Guard mentioned its Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) in Mumbai acquired info concerning the hearth onboard MV Chem Pluto.
“The MRCC established real-time communication with the vessel’s agent and ascertained no loss of life and assured all assistance, he said adding the Coast Guard immediately diverted other merchant vessels in the vicinity of Chem Pluto for rendering assistance,” it mentioned.
The UKMTO is a British navy organisation that gives maritime safety info and largely acts as the first level of contact for service provider vessels concerned in maritime incidents.
It receives reviews and data on suspicious incidents from service provider transport and shares that info with its regional, nationwide contacts, in addition to Business and vessels working in that space, in keeping with UKMTO.