An Indian warship played a crucial role in assisting the Palau-flagged merchant vessel MV Islander, which came under a suspected drone or missile attack in the Gulf of Aden. The incident occurred on Thursday, leading to injuries to one of the ship’s crew members, according to Indian military officials on Saturday.
Responding swiftly to the distress call, the Indian Navy’s destroyer, a mission deployed in the Gulf of Aden for maritime security operations, arrived in the vicinity of the vessel in the afternoon of February 22, the Ministry of Defence said in a release.
Indian Naval EOD specialists embarked the vessel and sanitized it for any residual risk. The vessel was cleared for onward transit. On the Master’s request, the Medical team also embarked the ship and provided medical assistance to an injured crew member.
This incident adds to a series of support missions conducted by the Indian Navy in the region, coinciding with global concerns over attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi militants. In recent weeks, the Indian Navy has extended assistance to several merchant vessels in the Western Indian Ocean that faced security threats.
Earlier this month, the Navy successfully thwarted a piracy attempt on an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel off the east coast of Somalia. In January, Bharatiya warships rescued 19 Pakistani crew members of an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel attacked by pirates in the same region. The Navy’s proactive measures also include the prevention of attempted hijackings, such as the one on Liberian-flagged vessel MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea on January 5.
The Indian Navy has increased the deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations. This strategic move is aimed at safeguarding critical sea lanes, especially in the north and central Arabian Sea.
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