DUBAI: A drone strike damaged a merchant ship off the coast of Veraval in India on Saturday but caused no casualties, two maritime agencies said, with one reporting the vessel was linked to Israel.
This comes four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressing concern over maritime security as a result of the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The attack caused a fire on board the merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto, according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO.
Ambrey, a maritime security firm, said the "Liberia-flagged chemical/products tanker... was Israel-affiliated" and had been on its way from Saudi Arabia to India.
Both agencies said the attack occurred 200 nautical miles southwest of Veraval, India.
The incident was first reported by United Kingdom Marine Trade Operations (UKMTO).
"UKMTO has received a report of an attack by an uncrewed aerial system (UAS) on a vessel causing an explosion and fire. The fire was extinguished and no casualties were reported. Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity," UKMTO said in a statement.
Around 21 Indian crew members are believed to have been on board this commercial ship, MV Chem Pluto, fortunately, there were no casualties.
The ship had set sail from Saudi Arabia (carrying crude) and was heading towards Mangalore and sailed under the flag of Liberia.
Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS Vikram) and a naval aircraft carrier (P-8I maritime surveillance) were dispatched to assist in the aftermath of the drone incident. The safety of the crew and ship was ascertained.
It is learnt that the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) came into action when the incident was reported and coordinated in swift response. IFC-IOR has said that there has been an increase in maritime security threats since the past week
"This appears to be a spillover of the Red Sea conflict and since it is so close to India and Indian crew members narrowly escaped unhurt, it is a major cause of concern,’’ said a source.
Many merchant ships have paused their commute after the Houthi attacks. The Houthis, who rule a major part of Yemen, have pledged to continue carrying out attacks until Israel halts its assault on Gaza.
About 40 per cent of international trade passes through the narrow strait between Yemen and northeast Africa, which leads northwards to the Red Sea, Israel’s southern port facilities and the Suez Canal.
The increased threat has caused shipping insurance costs to jump by tens of thousands of dollars a day and raised oil prices.
UKMTO said the "authorities were investigating", and noted the fire had been extinguished. Ambrey said the Indian navy was responding.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strike which came amid a flurry of drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels on a vital shipping lane in the Red Sea.
Iran has also been accused of carrying out attacks near its waters.
Last month, an Israeli-owned cargo ship was hit in a suspected drone attack by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in the Indian Ocean, according to a US official.
The Malta-flagged vessel managed by an Israeli-affiliated company was reportedly damaged when the unmanned aerial vehicle exploded close to it, according to Ambrey.
The attacks on shipping since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7 have prompted major firms to reroute their cargo vessels around the southern tip of Africa, despite the higher fuel costs of much longer voyages.
The Huthi rebels have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks, targeting 10 merchant vessels involving more than 35 different countries, according to the Pentagon.
ICGS Vikram moving towards vessel: Defence officials
Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS Vikram is moving towards a merchant vessel MV Chem Pluto in the Arabian Sea 217 nautical miles off Porbandar cost after it reported a fire incident suspected to be caused by a drone attack.
The vessel had crude oil and was going towards Mangalore from a port in Saudi Arabia. As per inputs received, the fire has been extinguished but it has affected its functioning. The ICGS Vikram was deployed on the patrol of the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone when it was directed towards the merchant ship in distress. All crew are safe which includes around 20 Indians. The ICGS Vikram has alerted all ships in the area to assist it.
(With inputs from ANI and AFP)