Indian Navy Neutralizes Unexploded Missile Warhead Aboard Oil Tanker MT Olympic Life

The Indian Navy successfully removed and defused an unexploded missile warhead embedded inside the crude oil tanker MT Olympic Life, preventing a potentially devastating maritime disaster. The vessel, travelling from Fujairah to Kochi, was damaged by an explosion off the Omani coast. Navy specialists safely extracted the live ordnance.

New Delhi: The Indian Navy has successfully defused and removed a live missile warhead from a crude oil tanker MT Olympic Life, averting a potentially catastrophic maritime incident. The Marshall Islands-registered vessel was en route from Fujairah, UAE, to Kochi when an explosion struck its hull on May 26, while sailing off the Omani coast. The tanker, which carried no Indian nationals, continued toward Kochi with an unexploded ordnance embedded in its structure.

The Specialized Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team

Acting on intelligence relayed through the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), the Indian Navy swiftly mobilized a specialized Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team from Kochi's Southern Naval Command.

Upon inspection, an Indian Navy official said that the team discovered that a projectile had pierced the vessel's hull, passed through several internal compartments, and come to rest inside a fuel storage tank, a scenario carrying enormous risk of explosion.

“The EOD team took a careful, step-by-step approach to the extraction. Using advanced diagnostic tools, they first identified and disabled the warhead's detonation mechanism before safely removing it along with surrounding debris.”

The recovered ordnance has since been transferred to a secure facility for storage and further analysis. “The operation underscores the Indian Navy's advanced capabilities in explosive ordnance disposal and its ability to coordinate complex, high-stakes responses at sea.”

Officials noted that “the Navy's swift action, regardless of the vessel's flag or crew nationality, reflects its broader commitment to maritime safety and its standing as a dependable security partner across the Indian Ocean region.”

The incident took place just days after the US forces reportedly struck two Iranian boats allegedly attempting to lay mines in the Strait of Hormuz, alongside attacks on a naval facility near Bandar Abbas.