An Indian Navy destroyer rescued an MV Islander vessel displaying the flag of Palau, which caught fire after an attack likely by drone/missile on February 22 in the Gulf of Aden. Responding swiftly to the distress call, the Indian Navy’s destroyer mission deployed in the Gulf of Aden for maritime security operations arrived in the vicinity of the vessel on the afternoon of the same day. Specialised Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel from the Indian Navy boarded the ship and conducted a thorough sanitisation to mitigate residual risks. Subsequently, the vessel was cleared for onward transit.
In addition to the security measures, at the Master’s request, a medical team boarded the ship to assist an injured crew member. The concerted efforts of the Indian Naval ships underscore the unwavering commitment of the Indian Navy towards ensuring the safety and security of merchant shipping and seafarers, the Indian Navy stated in its statement.
The fresh incident comes amid growing global concerns over attacks on various commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi militants. In the last few weeks, the Indian Navy extended assistance to a number of merchant vessels in the Western Indian Ocean following attacks on them. The Indian Navy, earlier this month, foiled a piracy attempt on an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel with a crew of 11 Iranian and eight Pakistani nationals along the east coast of Somalia.
Ravi Shankar
