Indian warship contains fire onboard missile-hit cargo vessel in Gulf of Aden

INS Visakhapatnam has been deployed a team to help fire-fighting efforts in Gulf of Aden. Pic/Defence PRO

Indian warship INS Visakhapatnam on Saturday extinguished a fire onboard a commercial oil tanker with 22 Indian crew after the vessel was struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden -- a key shipping route that witnessed similar attacks in the last few weeks. The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel MV Marlin Luanda was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Iran-backed Houthi militants.

The Indian Navy deployed its missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam to assist the vessel after receiving a distress call from it on Friday night. Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said in New Delhi that after six hours of battling the fire along with the crew of MV Marlin Luanda, the Indian Naval fire fighting team has successfully brought the blaze under control.

The missile attack on the vessel reportedly by Iran-backed Houthi militants came amid increasing global concerns over the security situation in the Red Sea as well as the Gulf of Aden. While the vessel is owned by UK-based Oceonix Services, it is being operated by Singapore-based Trafigura. The Houthis have been targeting commercial vessels in the Red Sea and adjoining areas since November, apparently in response to Israel's military offensive in Gaza.

"Responding to the distress call from MV Marlin Luanda, INS Visakhapatnam had proceeded to provide assistance. A US and French warship also responded to the distress call," Madhwal said. The fire fighting team from INS Visakhapatnam comprising 10 Indian Naval personnel with specialist fire fighting equipment embarked MV Marlin Luanda on early hours of Saturday, he said.

"After six hours of battling the fire along with the crew of MV Marlin Luanda, the Indian Naval fire fighting team has successfully brought the fire under control," Madhwal said. The Navy spokespersons said the team is currently monitoring the situation to rule out any possibility of "re-ignition". "Indian Navy remains steadfast in her commitment towards safety of merchant shipping and seafarers," he asserted.

Earlier in the day, the Navy said in a statement that INS Visakhapatnam responded to the distress call from MV Marlin Luanda and that the vessel has 22 Indian and one Bangladeshi crew. "Based on a request from MV Marlin Luanda, INS Visakhapatnam has deployed its NBCD (nuclear biological chemical defence and damage control) team along with firefighting equipment to render assistance to the crew towards augmenting firefighting efforts on board the distressed MV," it said.

In a statement, the CENTCOM said Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker MV Marlin Luanda on January 26. "The ship issued a distress call and reported damage. USS Carney and other coalition ships have responded and are rendering assistance. No injuries have been reported," it said.

Last week, INS Visakhapatnam intercepted a cargo vessel with 22 crew members including nine Indians little after the Marshall Island-flagged ship came under a drone strike in the Gulf of Aden. The Navy on January 5 thwarted an attempted hijacking of Liberian-flagged vessel MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea and rescued all its crew members. Liberian-flagged vessel MV Chem Pluto, with 21 Indian crew members, was the target of a drone attack off India's west coast on December 23.

Besides MV Chem Pluto, another commercial oil tanker that was on the way to India came under a suspected drone strike in the Southern Red Sea on the same day. The vessel had a team of 25 Indian crew. The Navy has already enhanced deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations in view of the maritime environment in the critical sea lanes including in the North and Central Arabian Sea.

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