Indian Navy says it responded to distress call from vessel in the Gulf of Aden

India's navy said on Thursday that it responded to a drone attack distress call from a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel in the Gulf of Aden and that the ship's crew were safe, with a fire on board under control.

The distress call from MV Genco Picardy was issued late on Wednesday and the navy diverted a warship deployed in the region to the rescue of 22 crew on board, including nine Indians, the Indian Navy said in a statement.

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea and nearby region, which have disrupted shipping on a key trade route, and Indian military authorities have responded to at least two such attacks and hijacking attempts previously.

Reporting by Reuters