A chemical tanker that collided off the coast of India on Saturday was reportedly the target of a “one-way attack drone fired from Iran,” according to a statement from the Pentagon.
The incident occurred at approximately 10 a.m. local time, causing no casualties on the Japanese-owned vessel. The fire resulting from the collision was successfully extinguished, and the U.S. military is maintaining communication with the ship as it proceeds toward its destination in India.
Identified as the Chem Pluto, the ship operated under a Liberian flag and was managed by a Dutch entity. The drone strike took place 200 nautical miles off the coast of India, with no U.S. Navy vessels in the vicinity at the time of the attack.
Despite a lack of immediate claims of responsibility, the incident coincided with a series of drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on a crucial shipping route in the Red Sea. The U.S. had previously accused Iran of significant involvement in these attacks on Friday.
However, Iran’s deputy foreign minister dismissed the U.S. accusations, asserting that the Houthi group was acting independently. The Houthis themselves stated that their attacks were in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. A chemical tanker
Responding to the incident, the Indian navy dispatched an aircraft that verified the safety of the involved ship and its crew. Additionally, an Indian navy warship has been sent to offer assistance as needed.