Mistral-Explorer

The 'Chem Pluto', with 21 Indian and one Vietnamese crew members on board, switched off its AIS after it was attacked by a suspected drone, about 217 nautical miles from Porbandar on Dec 23. The Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard deployed assets to assist the vessel, which safely reached Mumbai on Dec 25, escorted by the Indian Coast Guard ship ICGS 'Vikram'. The Indian Navy's Explosive Ordnance Team conducted an analysis, and a joint investigation by various agencies was underway. Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal specialists will sanitize the vessel and conduct further investigations. In response to the attack, the Indian Navy deployed multiple Guided Missile Destroyers, including the INS 'Mormugao', INS 'Kochi' and INS 'Kolkata' in the Arabian Sea. Despite the unknown identity of the drone attackers, the incident occurred amid ongoing attacks by Houthi militants in Yemen on commercial shipping vessels in the Red Sea and the Suez Canal. The company-in-charge in Mumbai has cleared the 'Chem Pluto' for further operation, with the vessel scheduled for mandatory checks by inspecting authorities before undertaking ship-to-ship cargo transfer, followed by docking and repairs. Report with photo: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/defence/houthi-attack-indian-navy-unveils-drone-strike-images-on-india-bound-ship-mv-chem-pluto/videoshow/106287785.cms?from=mdr

The 'Chem Pluto' was hit by a drone in the morning of Dec 23, 2023, i the Arabian Sea, about 2200 nautical miles off the Indian coast. The tanker was damaged, the 20 Indian crew members were safe. The Indian Coast Guard and Navy responded, and an aircraft carrierwas moving to area. The tanker was to be taken to the nearest Indian port. It was en route from Jubail to New Mangalore with a cargo of crude oil on board and an ETA as of Dec 25.

An Indian crew member of the 'Chemstar Stellar' and his wife, who were admitted to the isolation ward of the SCB Medical College and Hospital on March 2, 2020, have tested negative for the coronavirus. The blood samples and swabs of the couple from Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh sent to National Institute of Virology, Pune, have tested negative. The crew member of the 'Chemstar Stellar', waiting at the anchorage, had fever and sore throat, raising suspicion of possible novel coronavirus infection. All crew members onboard were examined by the Paradip Port Hospital medical team and the couple was then admitted to the SCB for further evaluation and management and kept in isolation as per protocol. The vessel had sailed from Zjapu on Feb 10 and was anchored off Paradip on March 3.