The Indian Navys INS Visakhapatnam, deployed for anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, swiftly responded to a distress call from the Marshall Island-flagged MV Genco Picardy, which had come under a drone attack. The incident occurred on Wednesday night, prompting INS Visakhapatnam to intercept the vessel. The drone attack had caused a fire on MV Genco Picardy, which had 22 crew members, including 9 Indians.No casualties were reported on MV Genco Picardy, and the fire was brought under control with the assistance of INS Visakhapatnam. Indian Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) specialists from INS Visakhapatnam boarded the vessel on January 18 to inspect the damaged area. After a thorough inspection, the EOD specialists declared the area safe for further transit. MV Genco Picardy is now proceeding to its next port of call.INS Visakhapatnam belongs to the Visakhapatnam-class stealth guided-missile destroyers and is the inaugural ship of the class. Commissioned on November 21, 2021, it is one of the largest destroyers currently active in the Indian Navy.This incident follows an earlier operation by the Indian Navys marine commandos, who successfully rescued 21 crew members from a bulk carrier in the North Arabian Sea. Responding to a distress call from the British Authorities regarding the Liberian-flagged MV Lila Norfolk, INS Chennai intercepted the ship. The marine commandos approached the vessel, boarded it, and confirmed the absence of hijackers. All 21 crew members, including 15 Indians, were safely evacuated from the citadel.Meanwhile, the region has experienced a series of drone attacks on merchant ships, leading the Indian Navy to deploy multiple vessels in the area to address security concerns.
