2023-12-23 14:05:02
Drone attack on merchant ship off India’s coast catches fire, no casualties
(AFP, Dubai, 23rd) A drone attacked a ship off the coast of India today but caused no casualties, two maritime agencies said. One of the agencies also noted that the merchant ship was linked to Israel.
According to the UK Maritime Trade Operations Office (UKMTO), the attack caused the merchant ship to catch fire.
British maritime security company Ambrey noted that the “Liberian-flagged chemical/product tanker… linked to Israel” was sailing from Saudi Arabia to India.
Both agencies said the attack occurred 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) southwest of Veraval, India.
The Indian Navy noted that it had responded to the request for assistance. A navy official told AFP, “An aircraft has been dispatched to fly over the ship to ensure the safety of the ship and crew involved… The Indian Navy has also dispatched a warship to provide necessary assistance.”
No organization has claimed responsibility. At the same time, Houthi rebels from the Yemeni Shia radical group backed by Iran launched a series of drone and missile attacks on a key waterway in the Red Sea.
An Israeli-owned cargo ship was attacked by a suspected Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps drone in the Indian Ocean last month, according to a U.S. official.
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