The Pentagon has mentioned that an Iranian drone on Saturday struck a chemical tanker within the Indian Ocean, Reuters reported. “The motor vessel CHEM PLUTO, a Liberia-flagged, Japanese-owned, and Netherlands-operated chemical tanker, was struck at roughly 10 am native time (6 am GMT) in the present day within the Indian Ocean, 200 nautical miles from the coast of India, by a one-way assault drone fired from Iran,” a Pentagon spokesperson informed Reuters. The incident comes as the most recent illustration of the rising regional tensions after the October 7 Hamas assaults on Israel.
The Pentagon mentioned this was the “seventh Iranian assault on industrial transport since 2021”. An India-bound service provider vessel, MV Chem Pluto, with 20 Indian and one Vietnamese crew member on Saturday caught fireplace after it was attacked by a suspected drone. It was later secured by the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the ICG mentioned in an official assertion.
DRONE ATTACK ON MV CHEM PLUTO-Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre,Mumbai acquired data concerning fireplace onboard MV Chem Pluto. The Service provider ship with 20 Indian &01 Vietnamese Crew was reportedly attacked by a suspected drone strike on aerial platform.(1/6) pic.twitter.com/CpioW9MfT9
— Indian Coast Guard (@IndiaCoastGuard) December 23, 2023
The service provider vessel reportedly commenced its voyage from the UAE on December 19 and was sure for New Mangalore port with an arrival date of December 25. Based on the official assertion, on December 23, the Indian Coast Guard Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Mumbai acquired data concerning a fireplace onboard MV Chem Pluto, reportedly attacked by a suspected drone strike or aerial platform.
The Indian Coast Guard Maritime Coordination Centre (MRCC), which established real-time communication with the vessel’s agent, ascertained no lack of life and guaranteed all help. It was additionally discovered that the vessel fireplace had been doused by the crew. To reinforce the vessel’s security, MRCC Mumbai has activated ISN and instantly diverted different service provider vessels within the neighborhood of Chem Pluto for help. The ship is being escorted to Mumbai.
“The Indian Coast Guard additionally pressed Offshore Patrol vessel Vikram and Coast Guard Dornier maritime surveillance plane into motion for rendering help to Chem Pluto. The Coast Guard Dornier plane has sanitised the realm and established communication with Chem Pluto. The vessel has began making its manner in direction of Mumbai after endeavor injury evaluation and repairs on its energy era techniques,” the assertion additional learn.
