Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata rescued 21 crew members, including one Indian national, from the Barbados-flagged cargo vessel which was reportedly hit by a missile in the Gulf of Aden, resulting in critical injuries to some of the crew members, the navy said on Thursday.

The US military’s Central Command earlier said at least three crew members were killed and the crew were forced to abandon the vessel after the missile attack on the commercial ship by Yemen’s Houthi militants.

News agency AP reported that it was the first fatal strike in a campaign of assaults by the Iranian-backed group over Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. A US warship and the Indian Navy were at the scene, trying to assist in rescue efforts, AP reported.

The report said one Vietnamese and two Filipino crew members lost their lives and two Filipino crew members suffered serious injuries.

After the missile hit, the crew abandoned the ship and deployed lifeboats.

The incident took place on Wednesday, approximately 54 nautical miles (101km) southwest of Yemen’s port city Aden. The crew, facing imminent danger, had abandoned bulk carrier MV True Confidence after it caught fire following the attack and sought refuge in a life raft as INS Kolkata, deployed for maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden, arrived on the scene.

“Barbados Flagged Bulk Carrier MV True Confidence was reportedly hit by a drone/ missile, approx 54 nm South West of Aden, on March 6, 2024, resulting in fire onboard and critical injuries to some of the crew members, forcing the crew to abandon the ship,” the Indian Navy said on Thursday.

The commercial ship had been carrying steel from China to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

“INS Kolkata, deployed for Maritime Security Operations, arrived at the scene of action and rescued 21 crew members, including one Indian national, from the life raft using its integral helicopter and boats. Critical medical aid was provided to the injured crew by the ship’s medical team,” the navy said while sharing a video of the rescue operation.

The rescued crew, including the critically injured personnel, have been evacuated to Djibouti by INS Kolkata.

The fresh incident comes amidst growing global concerns regarding attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, particularly by Houthi militants.

Over the past few months, Yemen’s Houthi militants have launched several attacks on merchant vessels in the region, including the Red Sea and parts of the Arabian Sea, targetting Israeli-linked vessels in response to Israel’s military offensive against the Palestinian group Hamas.

Alarmed by the recent spate of attacks on merchant vessels in the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy had earlier deployed at least 10 warships for anti-piracy and anti-drone activities in the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Aden to maintain a deterrent presence in the strategic waters.