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New Delhi:

The Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata successfully rescued 21 crew members, including one Indian national, from the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier MV True Confidence after a maritime incident in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel was reportedly hit by a missile from Yemen’s Houthi militants, resulting in three deaths and several people injured. 

The incident happened on Wednesday, approximately 55 nautical miles (101 km) southwest of Yemen’s port city Aden. The crew, facing imminent danger, sought refuge in a life raft as the INS Kolkata, deployed for maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden, sped to the scene.

#IndianNavy‘s swift response to Maritime Incident in #GulfofAden.

Barbados Flagged Bulk Carrier MV #TrueConfidence reported on fire after a drone/missile hit on #06Mar, approx 54 nm South West of Aden, resulting in critical injuries to crew, forcing them to abandon ship.… pic.twitter.com/FZQRBeGcKp

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) March 7, 2024

Commander Vivek Madhwal, a Navy spokesperson, provided details of the operation, stating that the INS Kolkata arrived at 4:45 pm and swiftly executed the rescue using its integral helicopter and boats. The crew, including the critically injured, received essential medical aid from the ship’s medical team.

Following the successful rescue, all 21 crew members, along with the injured personnel, were evacuated to Djibouti on the same day. 

The incident comes amidst growing global concerns regarding attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, particularly by Houthi militants. 

Over the past few weeks, the Indian Navy has been actively involved in extending assistance to various merchant vessels in the Western Indian Ocean following similar attacks.