In a remarkable display of courage and professionalism, the Indian Navy’s warship INS Trikand carried out a firefighting and rescue operation after a massive blaze erupted aboard the Cameroon-flagged LPG carrier MV Falcon off the coast of Djibouti.
Deployed in the Gulf of Aden for maritime security operations, INS Trikand swiftly responded to a distress call, working in coordination with a civilian tug arranged by the shipping company to bring the fire under control. Before the warship’s arrival, 24 of the vessel’s 26 crew members—25 Indians and one British national—had already evacuated and were rescued by nearby merchant ships.
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Upon reaching the site, a specialised firefighting and medical team from INS Trikand boarded the damaged vessel, braving extreme heat, toxic fumes, and structural damage. The team successfully recovered the mortal remains of the two missing crew members, which were later handed over to the Indian Embassy in Djibouti.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday, October 18, when an explosion rocked the MV Falcon about 113 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen, while en route from Sohar Port in Oman to Djibouti. The blast engulfed nearly 15% of the ship in flames, forcing the crew to abandon the drifting tanker.
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