Indian Navy and Coast Guard ships have come to the aid of merchant ship MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea, which caught fire in a suspected drone attack.
"Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram is moving towards the merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea, 217 nautical miles off the coast of Porbandar after it reported a fire suspected to be caused by a drone attack. The ship is carrying oil. It was heading to [Indian port city ] Mangaluru from the port of Saudi Arabia,” the message said.
Nearby Indian Navy warships are also moving towards the distressed vessel, which is carrying about 20 Indian crew members. They are reported to be safe and uninjured. According to reports, the fire has been extinguished, but it affected the functioning of the vessel.
Earlier, the British Maritime Trade Operations Office (UKMTO) of the British Royal Navy said that a drone attacked a ship off the Indian coast, causing an explosion and a fire.
Media reported that the attacked vessel was reportedly flying the flag of Liberia and was affiliated with Israel.