A drone launched from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen on Wednesday night attacked a bulk cargo merchant vessel headed for India in the Gulf of Aden, raising concerns across the globe about attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.

It is reported that all 22 crew members on board the MV Genco Picardy—including nine Indians—are safe. The Indian Navy warship INS Visakhapatnam promptly responded to the distress call while it was stationed in the region conducting anti-piracy operations. Officials reported that the fire on the ship had been contained and that no casualties had been reported.

Owned by a US corporation and flying the Marshall Islands flag, the ship was traveling from Safaga port on Egypt’s Red Sea coast to Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu.

US vessel ‘Chem Ranger ‘ also hit in Gulf Of Aden

Yemeni Houthi rebels claimed early Friday they had carried out a missile attack on a US ship in the Gulf of Aden. The Houthis said in a statement posted on their social media that their “naval” forces had attacked the Chem Ranger “with several appropriate naval missiles, resulting in direct hits”. Chem Ranger is a Marshall Islands-flagged chemical tanker sailing from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia to Kuwait.