Drone strike on Ship: The US claimed on Saturday (local time) that a drone “fired from Iran” struck a merchant vessel off the coast of Gujarat that was connected to Israel. “The motor vessel Chem Pluto, a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker was struck at approximately 10 am (local time) on Saturday in the Indian Ocean, 200 nautical miles from the coast of India, by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran,” a Pentagon spokesperson told news agency Reuters.
Seventh Iranian Attack Raises Alarms in Commercial Shipping
This was the “seventh Iranian attack on commercial shipping since 2021,” according to the Pentagon. At the time of the incident, the MV Chem Pluto was headed for a port in Karnataka and was carrying crude oil and about twenty Indian crew members. The drone struck the ship without injuring anyone, and the small fire that started inside was quickly put out.
INS Mormugao Investigates Drone Attack on MV Chem Pluto
Last night, the Indian Navy warship INS Mormugao arrived at the MV Chem Pluto and obtained information regarding the attack that took place there. According to officials, the Indian Navy is currently looking into whether the drone that attacked the vessel was launched from a nearby vessel or at a distance. According to officials, the vessels that were in operation in the vicinity of the attack are undergoing inspections.
Vikram Escorts MV Chem Pluto Through Indian Waters
The MV Chem Pluto is being escorted by the Indian Coast Guard’s ship, Vikram, and they are predicted to arrive in Mumbai by Monday, December 25, according to officials. Vikram arrived at the ship connected to Israel last evening and is currently travelling through Indian waters. “The vessel is likely to enter Mumbai and seek 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 Indian Coast Guard said.
Incident Amid Israel-Hamas Tensions and Houthi Attacks
The incident occurred in the midst of the Israel-Hamas conflict, as Houthi rebels backed by Iran increased their attacks on ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis and Iran have both openly condemned Israel’s military operations in Gaza. The Houthis declared that until Israel ceased its counteroffensive in Gaza, they would carry out attacks in the Red Sea.
UAS Attack Triggers Explosion and Fire on Vessel
The Uncrewed Aerial System (UAS) attack on a vessel resulted in an explosion and fire, according to a report received by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which is part of the British Royal Navy. It also stated that the incident happened 200 nautical miles southwest of Veraval, Gujarat. According to news agency PTI, the ship was transporting crude oil from Saudi Arabia’s Al Jubail port to New Mangalore port while flying the Liberian flag. A front-line warship from the Indian Navy was also sent to support the merchant vessel.
MV Chem Pluto Sets Course for Mumbai After Repairs
The ship began sailing towards Mumbai, according to the Indian Coast Guard, after undergoing repairs and damage assessment on its power generation systems. “The Coast Guard Dornier aircraft has sanitised the area and established communication with Chem Pluto. The vessel has started making way towards Mumbai post undertaking damage assessment and repairs on its power generation systems,” it said.
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