Indian Navy swiftly responds to SOS call from US-owned ship facing drone attack in Gulf of Aden

Indian Navy's INS Visakhapatnam swiftly responded to a distress call from the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel MV Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden, which faced a drone attack.

INS Visakhapatnam of the Indian Navy on Thursday swiftly responded to a distress call from the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel MV Genco Picardy in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel, facing a drone attack, reported the incident late on Wednesday. 

The Indian Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists from INS Visakhapatnam assessed the damage caused by the attack and declared the area safe for transit after bringing the fire under control. Fortunately, none of the 22 crew members, including 9 Indian nationals, sustained injuries. The vessel is now en route to its next port of call.

This incident follows a series of maritime security concerns, particularly with Houthi militants escalating attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar has issued firm instructions to address such maritime incidents decisively.

Notably, on December 23, the Liberian-flagged vessel MV Chem Pluto, with 21 Indian crew members, faced a drone attack off India's west coast. Another commercial oil tanker bound for India also encountered a suspected drone strike in the Southern Red Sea on the same day, carrying a team of 25 Indian crew.

In a separate incident on December 14, the Malta-flagged vessel MV Ruen fell victim to piracy when it was hijacked. These occurrences highlight the challenges faced by maritime vessels in the region and the importance of robust responses to ensure the safety of crews and secure transit routes.