According to foreign media reports, the tanker caught fire after a missile attack by Yemen's Houthi militants, the latest incident linked to the Iran-backed group in the key shipping route Gulf of Aden

On a request from MV Marlin Luanda, INS Visakhapatnam has deployed its NBCD team along with fire-fighting equipment to render assistance to the crew towards augmenting fire-fighting efforts on board the distressed ship, a Navy spokesperson said

"The Indian Navy remains steadfast and committed towards safeguarding MVs (merchant vessels) and ensuring safety of life at sea," the Indian Navy said

The operator of the British oil tanker has said the vessel had been "struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden after transiting the Red Sea", according to the reports

The Indian Navy has significantly increased its surveillance apparatus in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden by deploying frontline destroyers and frigates in view of recent incidents of attacks on merchant vessels