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NEW DELHI: In 1 of the astir daring operations connected the precocious seas, the Indian Navy has safely disposed of an unexploded rocket warhead recovered from the substance retention compartment of a crude lipid tanker, portion Marshall Islands-flagged MT Olympic Life was connected its mode to Kochi from UAE’s Fujairah, the defence ministry said connected Thursday.The Navy’s high-risk ngo was carried retired connected May 26 erstwhile the maestro of the lipid tanker reported an detonation connected the larboard broadside aft (back of the ship) of the vas adjacent the waterline astatine 09.45 UTC portion sailing astir 60 nautical miles eastbound of Oman, arsenic per UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency’s data. It is inactive not known yet who fired the rocket astatine the tanker.While reporting astir the unexploded ordnance, the MT Olympic Life, a precise ample crude bearer (VLCC) that tin transportation astir 2 cardinal barrels of crude oil, continued its transit towards Kochi. Though nary nonstop fig of unit members is available, a VLCC similar MT Olympic Life typically operates with a unit of 20 to 25 members. The ministry, however, clarified that nary Indian nationalist was determination among the crew.On getting accusation done the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), the Indian Navy initiated a coordinated response. The Kochi-based Southern Naval Command rapidly deployed a specializer explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) squad for a elaborate assessment.
The EOD squad confirmed that a projectile had penetrated the vessel’s hull, traversed aggregate structural compartments and was lodged wrong a substance tank, the defence ministry said successful a merchandise connected Thursday.In presumption of the risks associated with the beingness of an unexploded rocket warhead wrong a substance retention compartment, the EOD squad adopted a deliberate and phased attack to guarantee the information of the ship, its unit and surrounding larboard infrastructure.After completion of prescribed information procedures, the EOD squad employed precocious diagnostic methods to place and isolate the detonation mechanics earlier carrying retired the harmless extraction of the warhead on with the associated debris. The recovered ordnance has been transported to a unafraid installation for harmless stowage and elaborate examination, the Navy said.After the removal of the warhead, the 7-year-old crude lipid tanker safely arrived astatine the Kochi larboard connected June 10 and is presently docked there.
All the unit members and the tanker are safe.The meticulously planned and executed operation, conducted implicit an extended duration, underscores Indian Navy's proficiency successful explosive ordnance disposal, method expertise and effectual inter-agency coordination successful addressing analyzable maritime contingencies.The defence ministry said the Navy’s punctual response, to an exigency astatine sea, irrespective of the nationality of the unit oregon the ownership of MT Olympic Life, reaffirms its relation arsenic a liable maritime unit dedicated to planetary maritime information and a trusted and preferred information spouse successful the region.
