NEW DELHI: The
Indian Navy
swiftly came to the aid of a
Panama-flagged crude oil tanker
,
MV Andromeda Star
, with 30 crew members, including 22 Indians, after it faced a missile attack from Houthi militants.
The attack occurred on April 26, and the Indian Navy’s destroyer
INS Kochi
promptly responded, ensuring the safety of all crew members.
According to the US Central Command,
Iranian-backed Houthi militants
launched three anti-ship ballistic missiles from
Yemen
into the Red Sea near the merchant vessel Maisha and MV Andromeda Star.
MV Andromeda Star, operated by Seychelles, sustained minor damage in the attack.
“A mission deployed Indian Naval destroyer INS Kochi responded to a maritime security incident involving the attack on Panama-flagged crude oil tanker MV Andromeda Star on April 26,” the Indian Navy said.
The Indian Navy’s response included intercepting the vessel with INS Kochi and conducting aerial inspection with helicopter operations to assess the situation. Additionally, an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team was deployed to conduct a residual risk assessment.
“A total of 30 crew including 22 Indian nationals are reported to be safe and the vessel is continuing its scheduled transit to the next port,” it said.
“The swift action of the Indian Navy ship reiterates the commitment and resolve of the Indian Navy in safeguarding the seafarers plying through the region,” it added.
The fresh incident comes amid growing global concerns over attacks on various commercial vessels in the Red Sea by the Houthi militants.
