INS Visakhapatnam Rushed To The Rescue
A guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, INS Visakhapatnam, has responded to the SOS call by a merchant ship that has been hit by a missile in the Gulf of Aden. This was reported by the Indian Navy said in a statement today. The crew members on board include 22 Indian and one Bangladeshi.
INS Visakhapatnam took the distress call of the merchant vessel Marlin Launda after it reported that it was hit by a missile and caught fire.
INS Visakhapatnam is helping with firefighting operations on the cargo ship, reported the Navy. “Indian Navy remains steadfast and committed towards safeguarding merchant vessels and ensuring safety of life at sea,” it said in the statement.
Chief Of Naval Staff Instructs To Firmly Deal With Such Maritime Incidents
The missile strike comes amid growing concerns over Houthi militants increasing attacks on merchant vessels in the Red Sea amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff of India has issued instructions to firmly deal with such maritime incidents.
Less than 10 days ago, a merchant vessel with Indian crew members came under attack by drones in the Gulf of Aden. After receiving a distress call, India deployed INS Visakhapatnam, which intercepted the vessel and gave successful assistance.
On December 23, 2023, Liberian-flagged MV Chem Pluto, with 21 Indian crew members, was the target of a drone attack off India’s west coast, while it was carrying oil from Saudi Arabia to India.
Bengali