Tanker bursts into flames
Ship attacked with drones off Indian coast
December 23, 2023, 4:36 p.m
Off the Indian coast, a tanker loaded with oil is suspected of being attacked by a drone – and bursts into flames. The Indian Coast Guard rushes to the ship. It is unclear whether there is a connection to the Gaza war – but the ship is associated with Israel.
A ship has reportedly been attacked in the Arabian Sea off the coast of India. The oil and chemical tanker “MV Chem Pluto” burst into flames after the suspected drone attack, the Indian news agency ANI reported, citing the country’s defense ministry.
The incident occurred about 217 nautical miles off the northwestern city of Porbandar. The British Maritime Observatory (UKMTO) also reported a drone attack on a ship off the west coast of India. Accordingly, there is said to have been an explosion and the fire was extinguished. There were no injuries. The Reuters news agency reported that the ship was linked to Israel.
Indian Coast Guard and Navy ships are on their way to the Liberian-flagged tanker, ANI reported. According to the Defense Ministry, the ship was carrying crude oil and was en route from Jubail in Saudi Arabia to the southern Indian city of Mangaluru.
The background to the attack is still unclear. Since the war in Gaza began, ships in the Red Sea have been increasingly attacked by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. As a result, several large shipping companies changed the routes of their ships. They take long detours to get around the Red Sea. A high-ranking general in the Iranian Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) recently warned the USA and the West that further international sea routes could be blocked.