Drone attack on Israel-linked merchant vessel in Indian Ocean, alert issued

The drone attack comes amid the Houthi militants stepping their assault on vessels in the Red Sea (Reuters file image)

An Israel-linked merchant vessel in the Indian Ocean has been attacked using a drone, reports said on December 23, adding that this has led to an alert being issued for all commercial ships traversing through the waterbody.

The merchant vessel was targeted using an unmanned aerial vehicle nearly 200 km towards the southwest of India's Verval, British maritime security firm Ambrey said, according to news agency Reuters.

The “Liberia-flagged chemical/products tanker... was Israel-affiliated”, the maritime agency said in a statement.

“Some structural damage was also reported and some water was taken onboard. The vessel was Israel-affiliated. She had last called Saudi Arabia and was destined for India at the time," it added.

The unclaimed attack off the coast of India caused a fire on board, but caused no casualties, news agency AFP reported.

Defence officials told ANI that the attacked vessel has been identified as MV Chem Pluto. It was carrying crude oil and was going towards Managalore from a port in Saudi Arabia, the officials told the news agency on the condition of anonymity.

All crew members on board, which includes 20 Indians, are safe, the officials reportedly said, adding that the fire which erupted on the vessel has been extinguished. Indian Coast Guard Ship Vikram is heading towards the vessel to provide assistance, they were further reported as saying.

The incident comes days after the United States, on December 19, announced the formation of a a new naval protection force, Operation Prosperity Guardian, comprising of navy personnel of various allied nations, in a bid to ward off the threat posed by Yemen's Houthi militants in the Red Sea.

The alliance includes Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles and Spain, but the notable absentees are Saudi Arabia and Egypt -- the two Arab nations who are key stakeholders in the Red Sea region.

Also Read: MC Explains: Why Houthi attacks in Red Sea trigger warning for global trade; how it concerns India

Prior the formation of the naval protection force, four of the world's five biggest shipping companies — MSC, A.P. Moller-Maersk, CMA CGM and Hapag Lloyd — paused or suspended Red Sea operations as Yemen's Houthi militants stepped up their assaults on commercial vessels.

This was followed by oil major BP announcing on December 18 that it would be suspending all of its transits through the waterbody.

Houthis, who control vast swathes of Yemen including its western coastline, have been targeting vessels in Bab el-Mandeb, the strait that is the gateway to the Red Sea and is located between the Horn of Africa and the Gulf of Aden. The group has warned to continue its attacks unless Israel agrees for a ceasefire in Gaza.