An Indian Navy warship of the Western Naval Command patrolling the Gulf of Aden rushed to the help of a Norwegian vessel after its all-Indian crew sent a distress call on August 25.
MV Vela — owned by Seven Sea SA, Norway, and Fleet Management Ltd., Hong Kong — was in deep trouble as its port anchor and 330-metre-long cable, weighing approximately 42 tonnes, had slipped into the Gulf of Aden.
A naval spokesperson said, “The ship was severely disabled with her speed being restricted to five to six knots. It made her vulnerable to piracy attacks. Apart from being a navigational hazard for herself, she also posed a danger for other ships in the dense shipping corridor.”
INS Teg quickly dispatched a specialist team to carry out an assessment of the situation and provided assistance for recovery of the anchor and cable. The naval spokesperson said, “This evolution not only ensured onward safe voyage of MV Vela, but also averted a huge financial loss.”
