A vessel travelling from Russia to Pakistan came under a drone attack on September 2, with the unmanned aircraft striking its accommodation section and triggering a fire onboard.
The MV BARYON was sailing from the Russian port of Novorossiysk towards Karachi when it was targeted. A second drone was also reportedly spotted in the vicinity of the vessel.
The impact caused a fire in the ship’s accommodation area, but the crew responded quickly and succeeded in bringing the blaze under control.
Despite the attack, the vessel did not require external assistance and was able to resume its journey using its own propulsion.
According to the FSUI, 23 Indian seafarers were aboard the vessel at the time of the attack, and all of them are safe.
The incident comes against the backdrop of heightened risks for commercial shipping in and around the Gulf region amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict.
Commercial vessels operating near key waterways have faced growing security concerns, with the Strait of Hormuz and surrounding waters emerging as particularly sensitive areas for maritime traffic.
The conflict has raised fears of attacks, drone strikes, disruptions to shipping routes and other threats to vessels transiting the region.
Any escalation around the Strait of Hormuz could have wider implications for global trade and energy supplies, given the waterway’s importance as a major route for oil and gas shipments.
However, it is not immediately known whether the MV BARYON was attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz.
The vessel was sailing from Novorossiysk in Russia towards Karachi when it came under the reported drone attack, and the precise location of the incident has not been established in the information currently available.
