Indian Navy removes unexploded missile warhead from UAE-Kochi crude oil tanker

New Delhi,UPDATED: Jun 11, 2026 23:44 IST

The Defence Ministry said on Thursday that the Indian Navy has completed a complex operation to recover an unexploded missile warhead from a vessel off the Kerala coast.

The MT Olympic Life, a Marshall Islands-flagged crude oil tanker, was sailing from Fujairah in the UAE to Kochi when it reported an explosion in its hull while off the coast of Oman on May 26. The vessel did not have any Indian nationals on board.

According to the Indian Navy, the vessel also reported the presence of "unexploded ordnance" as it continued its transit towards Kochi. Subsequently, the Indian Navy initiated an operation to retrieve the unexploded missile warhead.

Kochi-based Southern Naval Command deployed a specialist Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team for a detailed assessment. The team confirmed that a projectile had penetrated the vessel's hull, traversed multiple structural compartments and was lodged inside a fuel tank.

In view of the risks associated with the presence of an unexploded missile warhead inside a fuel storage compartment, the EOD team adopted a deliberate and phased approach to ensure the safety of the ship, its crew and surrounding port infrastructure.

"After completion of prescribed safety procedures, the EOD team employed advanced diagnostic methods to identify and isolate the detonation mechanism before carrying out the safe extraction of the warhead along with the associated debris," the Defence Ministry said.

Naval authorities said that the recovered weapon was transported to a secure facility for "safe stowage and detailed examination."

The Defence Ministry said the high-risk operation, which was carefully planned and executed over an extended period, highlighted the Indian Navy’s expertise in explosive ordnance disposal, technical capabilities, and coordination with other agencies in handling complex maritime emergencies.

It added that the Indian Navy’s swift response to the emergency at sea, irrespective of the nationality of the crew or the ownership of MT Olympic Life, reflected its commitment to maritime safety and its role as a responsible regional security partner.

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