Indian Navy helps vessel under attack in Gulf of Aden
The Indian Navy came to the rescue of a cargo vessel under attack by drones in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday night. According to the Indian Navy's statement, INS Visakhapatnam, which was on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden, responded quickly to a distress call from Marshall Island-flagged "MV GENCO PICARDY." This distress call came after a drone strike at 11:11pm.
No casualties, fire under control
Area safe for further transit
The vessel had 22 crew members, including nine Indians. There were no casualties, and the fire was under control, according to the Indian Navy. After a thorough assessment, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists declared the area safe for further transit. The ferry is now on its way to the next port of call.
Navy's MARCOS rescued 21 sailors from 'hijacked' ship
Just a week ago, the Indian Navy rescued 21 crew members, including 15 Indians, from a carrier in the North Arabian Sea. The Indian Navy said that commandos boarded the Liberian-flagged "MV LILA NORFOLK" carrier following a distress call saying the vessel had been boarded by five-six armed hijackers. The message was sent to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which oversees merchant shipping.
Incident comes amid Houthi attacks on merchant vessels
The incident occurred amid fears about Houthi rebels increasing attacks on cargo vessels in the Red Sea. Since November, the Iran-backed group has been launching attacks on vessels in the Red Sea to protest Israel's war in Gaza. Several shipping companies have halted operations, opting instead for a longer route around Africa. They have vowed to continue attacking Israel until the war is resolved.
