Explosives 'detonated fully', Navy finds debris of drone used as attack vehicle to hit MV Chem Pluto
Mumbai: The explosives that were used to attack merchant ship MV Chem Pluto had exploded fully, revealed experts who examined the remains, media reported.
Suspicions that Merchant Vessel (MV) Chem Pluto was hit by a drone in the Arabian Sea were confirmed by the experts who inspected the ship on Tuesday.
The vessel was reportedly carrying crude oil to the New Mangalore port from the Al Jubail port in Saudi Arabia.
The ship returned to Mumbai yesterday with a huge gash on her stern.
On Sunday, the Pentagon stated that the ship was struck by "a one-way attack drone fired from Iran."
Liberian-flagged MV Chem Pluto was struck by a drone 400 km off the Indian coastline. The attacks on commercial vessels in the Arabian Sea have increased in the past days.
The drone strike came amid a series of drone and missile attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels on the Red Sea shipping lane in solidarity with Gaza where Israel and Hamas have been warring since October 7.
The experts came to the conclusion that the explosives were launched using a drone by the remains of the attack vehicle,
According to an NDTV report, the Navy said that after sanitisation and preliminary analysis, which is now in Mumbai, Explosive Ordnance Disposal specialists have said that the explosive charge on the drone "detonated completely causing extensive damage above waterline".
"Remnants of projectile have been collected by the Indian Navy for further forensic analysis."
"In light of the recent maritime incidents in the Arabian Sea, IN has commenced focused maritime security operations in the region. The presence of IN warships and air surveillance in the region has been enhanced. Actions are being progressed in coordination with national maritime agencies towards ensuring safety of merchant marine in the region," the Navy said, according to the report.
The Indian Navy deployed P-8I long-range patrol aircraft and warships INS Mormugao, INS Kochi, and INS Kolkata in the Arabian Sea off India's west coast for continued surveillance and to maintain a ‘deterrent presence,’ media reports said.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India has taken the attacks “very seriously” and the country would track down those behind the attacks even from the depths of the seas.
According to military officials from India and the United States, a drone targetted another oil tanker, the Gabon-registered MV Sai Baba, in the Southern Red Sea. The vessel had 25 Indian crew members on board.
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