On a merchant ship in the Arabian Sea, a drone strike resulted in an explosion and fire, according to news agency ANI. There are no known casualties on board the vessel. It also stated that an Indian Coast Guard vessel was approaching the merchant vessel and that the crew consisted of twenty Indians.
The ship was sailing from a Saudi Arabian port towards Mangaluru, carrying crude oil. Defense officials reported that the merchant ship in distress has been steered towards the Coast Guard cruiser ICGS Vikram, which was cruising the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone. All nearby ships have been notified by the Coast Guard ship to help it. Everyone on the team is secure. The ship turned off its tracking-capable Automatic Identification System following the drone strike, according to Coast Guard officers who spoke to ANI. They stated that the ship's power generation system is now operational, and a few final inspections are being conducted before it sails to its intended location.
The event happened a few days after on Monday, the Indian Navy assisted in the rescue of a wounded sailor from a cargo ship flying the flag of Malta. Six alleged "pirates" reportedly gained unauthorized access to the MV Ruen in the Arabian Sea. The ship's tracking Automatic Identification System was turned off after a drone attack. Before the ship continues to its destination, more inspections are being conducted to ensure that the power generation system is functioning properly.
