The Indian Navy assisted a Panama-flagged crude oil tanker which had come under missile attack from Houthi militants on April 26.
INS Kochi, a destroyer deployed by the Indian Navy responded following the attack on the tanker, MV Andromeda Star, officials said. All the 30 crew members, including 22 Indians, are safe, they reported.
In a post on X, the Indian Navy wrote: “The MV was intercepted by Indian Navy warship & an aerial recce by helo was undertaken to assess the situation. The shipborne EOD team was deployed onboard MV for residual risk assessment.A total of 30 crew (including 22 Indian nationals) are reported to be safe and the vessel is continuing its scheduled transit to the next port.”
It added, “The swift action of Indian Navy ship reiterates the commitment & resolve of the Navy in safeguarding the seafarers plying through the region.”
An Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team of the Navy was also deployed to carry out “residual risk assessment”, the Navy said in a statement.
The US Central Command said Iranian-backed Houthi militants launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles from Yemen into the Red Sea in the vicinity of merchant vessel Maisha and MV Andromeda Star.
MV Andromeda Star is a Panaman-flagged and Seychelles-operated vessel, according to news agency PTI.
The vessel reported minor damage, the US Central Command said.
This incident comes amid growing global concerns over attacks on various commercial vessels in the Red Sea by the 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.
