- By Shubham Bajpai
- Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:48 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Indian Navy's Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team have completed a high-risk complex mission to recover an unexploded missile warhead from an oil tanker.
A team of Southern Naval Command safely removed and defused a live missile warhead embedded in the fuel tank of oil tanker 'MT Olympic Life' off the coast of Oman. The dangerous operation saved the lives of the international crew members on board the ship and averted a major maritime accident.
How did the Navy accomplish the mission?
On May 26, 2026, this oil tanker, sailing from Fujairah to Kochi, was attacked by a missile. The missile directly penetrated the ship's fuel tank, which was filled with flammable material.
Even a small spark or friction could have caused a catastrophic explosion. The crew made a distress call. The Indian Navy received the information through the Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR). The EOD team immediately arrived at the scene and initiated the mission.
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The team found out that the projectile had pierced the ship's hull and passed through multiple internal sections before being lodged inside the fuel tank.
Given the high-risk of handling an unexploded warhead, the Navy's EOD carefully carried out the entire operation with proper planning, as it carried ramifications for the vessel, crew and nearby port facilities.
The commandos and bomb experts moved the crew to safety and descended into the fuel tank. With great precision, accuracy, and necessary safety procedures, they detached the missile's explosive system and defused the warhead and related debris.
The warhead was moved to a secure location for storage and further examination. The Indian Navy said, "The meticulously planned and executed high-risk operation, conducted over an extended duration, underscores the Indian Navy's proficiency in explosive ordnance disposal, technical expertise and effective inter-agency coordination in addressing complex maritime contingencies."