The explosives that struck the merchant ship MV Chem Pluto have detonated fully, as per the experts who examined the remains. Suspicion regarding the ship, which returned to Mumbai on December 26 with a huge gash on her stern, was struck by a drone 400 km off Bharat’s west coast. The remains of the attack vehicle, the experts who examined the ship on December 27, have concluded that it was indeed a drone.
Upon sanitisation and the preliminary analysis in Mumbai, Explosive Ordnance Disposal specialists have informed that the explosive charge on the drone had “detonated completely causing extensive damage above waterline”.
“Remnants of the projectile are collected by the Indian Navy for further forensic analysis,” the Indian Navy informed the media.
Consequent to the drone strike, Bharat will be deploying warships, aircraft and other assets in the Indian Ocean to protect merchant vessels.
“In light of the recent maritime incidents in the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy has started focused maritime security operations in the region. The presence of Indian Navy warships and air surveillance in the region has also been enhanced. Actions are progressing in coordination with the national maritime agencies towards ensuring safety of merchant marine in the region,” the Navy said.
The Navy and the Indian Coast Guard have already moved destroyers in the Arabian Sea. Three warships — MV Mormugao, Kochi and Kolkata — and maritime patrol aircraft were deployed on December 23 soon after the UK Maritime Trade Operations, or UKMTO, reported the drone attack.
Yemen’s Houthi rebel group has escalated its attack on ships in the Red Sea shipping lane in retaliation to Israel’s air strikes in Gaza. Albeit, the MV Chem Pluto was struck as it was passing Iran — the obvious conclusion from the situation has seen Iran’s vehement denail.
The US Defence headquarters Pentagon has pointed out that the ship was hit by “a one-way attack drone fired from Iran”.
Bharat will track down the name behind these attacks on Merchant Navy ships, “even from the depths of the sea” and initiate action against them, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said.
The oil tanker named MV Chem Pluto had sailed from Saudi Arabia heading for Mangalore in Karnataka when it was attacked. A second oil tanker – the Gabon-registered MV Sai Baba, with 25 Bharatiya crew members on board – was also attacked by a drone in the Southern Red Sea, Bharatiya and American military officials have said.
