Agencies
NEW DELHI, Feb 24: An Indian warship provided critical assistance to a merchant vessel after it caught fire following a suspected drone or missile attack in the Gulf of Aden, the latest in a series of such support missions in the region. Palau-flagged vessel MV Islander came under attack on Thursday and a crew member of the ship sustained injuries, Indian military officials said today.
An explosive ordnance disposal team of the Navy embarked the vessel and sanitised it for any residual risk following which the vessel was cleared for onward transit, they said. The fresh incident comes amid growing global concerns over attacks on various commercial vessels in the Red Sea by Houthi militants.
A medical team of the Indian Navy also embarked MV Islander and provided medical assistance to the injured crew member, they said.
In a swift response to a distress call from the vessel, the Indian warship arrived in the vicinity of the cargo ship within a few hours to provide critical support, an official said.
"Relentless efforts by Indian Naval ships reaffirms the Indian Navy's steadfast commitment towards safety and security of merchant shipping and seafarers," Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.
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
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