Indian Navy Initiates Investigation into Drone Attack on Merchant Vessel

The Indian Navy warship INS Mormugao reached the India-bound merchant vessel, MV Chem Pluto, on Saturday night, following an attack by an Iranian drone, officials reported on Sunday. The vessel, a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker, was struck at approximately 10 am local time in the Indian Ocean, 200 nautical miles from the coast of India.

The Indian Navy has initiated an investigation into the attack, aiming to determine whether the drone was launched from long range or a nearby vessel. Officials revealed that vessels in the vicinity of the incident are currently under scrutiny.

The Indian Coast Guard ship Vikram is escorting MV Chem Pluto, and both are expected to reach the Mumbai coast on Monday. The Coast Guard ship had reached the distressed vessel promptly, securing it in Indian waters.

This incident comes against the backdrop of escalating regional tensions following the October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel. The Pentagon labeled this as the “seventh Iranian attack on commercial shipping since 2021.”

MV Chem Pluto, carrying 20 Indian and one Vietnamese crew member, caught fire on Saturday after the suspected drone attack. The Indian Coast Guard successfully secured the vessel, and no casualties were reported.

The merchant vessel, which began its journey from the UAE on December 19, was bound for New Mangalore port with an expected arrival on December 25. The Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai received information about the fire on December 23, prompting immediate response and assistance efforts.

The Indian Coast Guard activated ISN (Information Sharing and Analysis Centre) and diverted nearby merchant vessels to aid MV Chem Pluto. Offshore Patrol vessel Vikram and Coast Guard Dornier maritime surveillance aircraft were deployed to assist the distressed vessel. The Coast Guard Dornier aircraft sanitized the area and established communication with MV Chem Pluto, which is now en route to Mumbai after assessing damages and making repairs to its power generation systems.

The investigation and escorting of the vessel underscore the critical role played by Indian maritime forces in ensuring the safety and security of the country’s waters and vital trade routes.