In a concerning incident, a Marshall Island-flagged cargo vessel, the MV Genco Picardy, with 22 crew members, including nine Indians, came under a drone strike in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday night. The Indian Navy’s guided missile destroyer, INS Visakhapatnam, on an anti-piracy mission, swiftly responded to the distress call, intercepting the vessel and neutralizing the threat within an hour of the attack.
The drone strike occurred 60 nautical miles south of Port Aden. The vessel reported no casualties, and the fire resulting from the attack was brought under control.
Indian Navy’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists boarded the MV Genco Picardy early Thursday morning to assess the damage caused by the drone strike. Following a thorough inspection, the EOD specialists cleared the ship for further transit. The vessel is now proceeding to its next port of call.
“INS Visakhapatnam, mission deployed in Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy operations, swiftly responded to a distress call by Marshall Island flagged MV Genco Picardy following a drone attack at 2311 hrs on Wednesday,” stated an Indian Navy spokesperson. The Navy’s quick and effective response underscores its commitment to ensuring the safety and security of maritime activities in the region.
This drone attack comes amidst a series of maritime security incidents in the region, including hijack attempts and attacks on merchant vessels. The Indian Navy has intensified its maritime surveillance efforts in the Central/North Arabian Sea, deploying task groups comprising destroyers and frigates, along with aerial surveillance using long-range maritime patrol aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPAs).
In response to the rising maritime security threats, the Navy has positioned its missile destroyers strategically, including INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, INS Mormugao, INS Chennai, and INS Visakhapatnam, to patrol different areas of the Arabian Sea. Additionally, Boeing P8I multi-mission aircraft and long-endurance Sea Guardian drones have been deployed to maintain constant surveillance, ensuring complete maritime domain awareness.
This incident follows recent attacks and hijacking attempts in the region, emphasizing the need for enhanced vigilance and security measures to safeguard merchant vessels and their crews navigating through international shipping lanes in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Central/North Arabian Sea. The Indian Navy’s proactive response reflects its commitment to maintaining peace and security in the strategically significant maritime routes.