According to foreign media reports, the tanker caught fire after a missile attack by Yemen’s Houthi militants in the latest incident linked to the Iran-backed group in the key shipping route Gulf of Aden.
The Indian Navy announced that its guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam dispatched a team to aid firefighting operations aboard the British oil tanker MV Marlin Luanda, carrying 22 Indian and one Bangladeshi crew members, on January 27.
As per the Indian Navy, INS Visakhapatnam mobilized the ship’s NBCD team and firefighting gear to support the crew in bolstering firefighting endeavors aboard the stricken MV Merlin Luanda.
According to reports from international media outlets, the tanker ignited following a missile strike by Yemen’s Houthi insurgents, marking the most recent occurrence involving the Iran-backed faction on the critical shipping lane Gulf of Aden.
“The Indian Navy remains resolute and dedicated to protecting MVs (merchant vessels) and ensuring maritime safety,” affirmed the Indian Navy. The operator of the British oil tanker indicated that the vessel was “hit by a missile in the Gulf of Aden after crossing the Red Sea,” as per reports.
In response to recent attacks on merchant vessels, the Indian Navy has significantly bolstered its surveillance presence in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden by deploying frontline destroyers and frigates. Earlier this month, the Indian Navy swiftly responded to a distress call from MV Genco Picardy following a drone attack in the Gulf of Aden on the night of January 17, and on January 5, it successfully foiled an attempted hijacking of the Liberian-flagged vessel MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea, rescuing all crew members aboard.
Earlier, on December 23, the Liberian-flagged vessel MV Chem Pluto, which included 21 Indian crew members, was targeted by a drone strike off India’s west coast. In addition to the MV Chem Pluto, another commercial oil tanker on its way to India was targeted by a suspected drone strike in the Southern Red Sea on the same day. The sailboat carried a team of 25 Indians.
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