The Indian Navy has initiated an investigation into a suspected drone strike on the Mangalore-bound cargo vessel MV Chem Pluto off India’s west coast in the Arabian Sea. The vessel, carrying crude oil from Al Jubail port in Saudi Arabia to New Mangalore port, came under attack approximately 217 nautical miles from Porbandar.
Navy is probing the incident and working to determine the origin of the drone strike. The cargo vessel, which had around 20 Indian crew members on board, is en route to Mumbai, and security is being provided by the Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram.
After the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported the “drone strike” on MV Chem Pluto, the Indian Navy and Coast Guard swiftly responded by deploying assets, including a warship and maritime patrol aircraft. The Coast Guard Dornier aircraft has sanitized the area and established communication with Chem Pluto. The vessel, following damage assessment and repairs on its power generation systems, is making its way towards Mumbai under the escort of Indian Coast Guard Ship Vikram.
“The vessel is likely to enter Mumbai and sought escort assistance due to steering issues. Indian Coast Guard Ship Vikram will be escorting the ship during its passage. The Indian Coast Guard Operations Centre is monitoring the situation closely,” the Coast Guard said in a statement.
The UK Maritime Trade Operations reported an attack by an Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) on the vessel, resulting in an explosion and fire. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished, and no casualties were reported. The incident occurred 200 nautical miles southwest of Veraval in India.
In response to the situation, the Indian Navy diverted a maritime patrol aircraft for routine surveillance and directed the Indian naval ship Mormugao to assess the situation and provide assistance to the merchant vessel. The investigation into the suspected drone strike will shed light on the nature and origin of the attack, with authorities ensuring the safety and security of maritime operations in the region.
