Indian Navy saves 21 crew members from deserted cargo ship following missile strike

New Delhi, March 07: A maritime emergency unfolded within the Gulf of Aden on March 6, when the Barbados-flagged bulk service, MV True Confidence, was reported ablaze following a drone or missile strike.

US media earlier reported that three crew members of MV True Confidence have been killed in a Houthi missile strike on a cargo ship off the southern coast of Yemen. This marks the primary occasion the place casualties have resulted from the group’s assaults on the identical service provider vessels, signalling a harmful escalation within the ongoing battle.

The vessel, positioned roughly 54 nautical miles southwest of Aden, discovered itself in dire straits, resulting in important accidents among the many crew and necessitating a right away evacuation.

Indian Navy press launch stated that in response to the disaster, the Indian Navy’s INS Kolkata, tasked with Maritime Safety Operations within the area, promptly arrived on the scene by 1645 hours.

By means of the adept use of its integral helicopter and boats, the navy managed to rescue 21 crew members, which included one Indian nationwide, offering important medical support to these injured within the incident. The crew was later evacuated to Djibouti for additional help.

This incident marks a regarding escalation within the battle off Yemen’s southern coast, with US media shops beforehand reporting {that a} Houthi missile strike resulted within the deaths of three crew members on the identical cargo ship.

That is famous as the primary prevalence of fatalities within the group’s ongoing assaults on service provider vessels, highlighting a major and harmful enlargement of the battle.

The True Confidence was engulfed in flames and left deserted after the assault, which came about round 11:30 GMT on Wednesday, as confirmed by the US army. The ship, manned by a various crew together with people from India, Vietnam, and the Philippines, in addition to three armed guards, was closely impacted by the strike some 50 nautical miles southwest of Aden. The ship’s managers reported a complete of 20 crew members on board on the time of the assault.

The US Central Command (Centcom) has confirmed the casualties and accidents ensuing from this assault, with three crew members perishing and a minimum of 4 others wounded, three critically.

The rising deadly outcomes of Houthi assaults have led to anticipations of a extra strong response towards the group, doubtlessly escalating the battle and the targets inside Yemen. Nonetheless, such actions might additional pressure an already tense regional scenario, particularly given the important humanitarian points in Gaza.

Following the assault, US-led airstrikes focused strategic places in Hudaydah, a Houthi-controlled port metropolis, exacerbating the tense scenario. Centcom has condemned the Houthis for his or her “reckless assaults” that disrupt international commerce and price the lives of worldwide seafarers.

The Iran-backed Houthis’ justification for his or her assaults, citing help for Palestinians, has been met with worldwide condemnation. Nations such because the US, UK, and Bahrain have referred to as for a right away halt to those maritime assaults, emphasizing the necessity for de-escalation and a diplomatic decision to safe essential maritime routes.

The True Confidence, en route from China to Saudi Arabia with a cargo of metal merchandise and vans, grew to become a sufferer in a sequence of drone and missile assaults concentrating on the Gulf of Aden and the Pink Sea. These incidents underscore the escalating risks confronted by industrial vessels within the area, with the Houthi justification of their actions solely including to the worldwide outcry for peace and safety in these essential waterways.

The Indian Navy’s current interventions, together with the extinguishing of a fireplace aboard the container ship MSC Sky II, spotlight the important function of naval forces in sustaining security and responding to emergencies in these troubled waters, underscoring the pressing want for a concerted worldwide effort to convey stability to the area.