NEW DELHI, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- A guided-missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, INS Visakhapatnam, responded to an SOS call by a merchant ship struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden, officials said Saturday.
The merchant vessel (MV) Marlin Launda was hit on Friday night, following which it caught fire.
According to officials, the MV has 22 Indian and one Bangladeshi crew onboard.
"The firefighting efforts onboard the distressed MV is being augmented by the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence (NBCD) team along with firefighting equipment, deployed by INS Visakhapatnam to assist the crew onboard the MV," a statement issued by the Indian Navy said.
The navy further said it remains steadfast and committed to safeguarding MV and ensuring the safety of life at sea. ■
