A day after a Houthi missile struck a British oil tanker with 22 Indians onboard, the Indian Navy confirmed that it had deployed its guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam to rescue lives at the high sea. The vessel named the Marlin Luanda was attacked by the Yemen-based terror outfit, Houthis on 26th January. Reportedly, all the crew onboard the merchant vessel are said to be safe. 

The Indian Navy is assisting in the firefighting efforts and leading the rescue operation in the Gulf of Aden after it received a distress call from the oil tanker on the night of January 26.

Taking to X, the Spokesperson of the Indian Navy informed the nation stating, “#IndianNavy’s Guided-missile destroyer, #INSVisakhapatnam, deployed in the #GulfofAden responded to a distress call from MV #MarlinLuanda on the night of #26Jan 24. The firefighting efforts onboard the distressed Merchant Vessel is being augmented by the NBCD team along with firefighting equipment, deployed by #INSVisakhapatnam to assist the crew onboard the MV.”

#IndianNavy‘s Guided missile destroyer, #INSVisakhapatnam, deployed in the #GulfofAden responded to a distress call from MV #MarlinLuanda on the night of #26Jan 24.
The fire fighting efforts onboard the distressed Merchant Vessel is being augmented by the NBCD team along with… pic.twitter.com/meocASF2Lo

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) January 27, 2024

Stating that the vessel has Indians as well as Bangladeshi crew onboard, the Navy added, “The MV has 22 #Indian & 01 Bangladeshi crew onboard. #IndianNavy remains steadfast & committed to safeguarding MVs & ensuring the safety of life at sea.” 

As per reports, the fuel tanker was operated on behalf of the trading firm Trafigura. Confirming the attack, the company stated that a missile struck the Marlin Luanda as it transited the Red Sea. 

Apart from the British oil tanker, a US warship, the destroyer USS Carney was also reportedly attacked by the Houthis.

The Yemeni terror outfit said that it targeted the Marlin Luanda on Friday evening, as reported by BBC. 

Speaking with BBC, Operator Trafigura said that the strike caused a fire in one of the ship’s cargo tanks and firefighting equipment was being used to contain it. 

The tanker was hit by an anti-ship ballistic missile and a naval ship was responding to its distress signal, as per US officials. However, they added that no injuries or casualties were reported in the missile strike.  

According to UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), the recent attack on the British merchant vessel by the Houthis in and around the Red Sea, took place 60 nautical miles south-east of Aden.

Later, the US Central Command announced that its forces had conducted a strike at 3:45 local time on Saturday “against a Houthi anti-ship missile aimed into the Red Sea and which was prepared to launch”. The CentCom said that they “destroyed the missile in self-defence”.

U.S. Conducts Self-Defense Strike Against Houthi Anti-Ship Missile

On Jan. 27 at approximately 3:45 a.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. Central Command Forces conducted a strike against a Houthi anti-ship missile aimed into the Red Sea and which was prepared to launch. U.S. Forces… pic.twitter.com/UcHqDiyT1I

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) January 27, 2024

Taking to X, CentCom wrote, “Houthis Strike M/V Marlin Luanda Operating in the Gulf of Aden. On Jan. 26, at approximately 7:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired one anti-ship ballistic missile from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen and struck the Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker M/V Marlin Luanda.” 

Earlier in January, INS Visakhapatnam addressed a distress call from the Marshall Island-flagged MV Genco Picardy. It was hit by a drone attack on the night of 17th January 17. INS Visakhapatnam has been currently on an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden. It promptly acknowledged the distress call by MV Genco Picardy. Subsequently, the destroyer intercepted the vessels at midnight on 18th January 2024, to provide immediate assistance.

Previously, the Houthis had attacked an oil tanker that had Indians aboard. On 24th December 2023, an oil tanker that had 25 Indians onboard was hit by a drone attack by the Houthis in the Red Sea. 

Since last November, the Houthis have been carrying out assaults on oil tankers, attributing their actions to Israel’s military operations in Palestine.