In a daring rescue operation, the Indian Navy's INS Visakhapatnam rushed to the aid of a British oil tanker, MV Merlin Luanda, which came under fire from Houthi militants in the Red Sea. The vessel, with 22 Indian and 1 Bangladeshi crew members aboard, ignited in flames after the attack near the Yemen coast in the Gulf of Aden.
Responding fast to the distress call received on Friday night, January 26, the INS Visakhapatnam, a guided missile destroyer stationed in the Gulf of Aden, dispatched a team to assist in firefighting efforts onboard the UK merchant vessel.
This incident highlights the ongoing tensions in the region attributed to the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group, known for targeting maritime traffic in the Gulf of Aden.
Although the MV Merlin Luanda sustained damage from the Houthi attack, fortunately, there were no casualties reported among the crew. The attack, believed to be carried out using a Houthi anti-ship missile, adds to the series of aggressive assaults by the rebel group on vessels navigating the area.
In a separate incident on the same day, Houthi rebels launched a missile at a United States warship patrolling the Gulf of Aden, prompting defensive measures from the US Navy. This marks the first direct targeting of a US warship by the Houthis since their assaults on shipping began last October.
Acknowledging the valiant efforts of the Indian Navy, the captain of the MV Merlin Luanda expressed gratitude for the specialized firefighting assistance provided by the Indian naval team, stating, "The Indian navy went out of the way with its specialized team to help them."
Both the US Navy and other vessels in the vicinity also offered support following the Houthi attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged MV Merlin Luanda, which issued a distress call reporting the damage incurred during the incident.
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