The Indian Navy has successfully completed a complex operation which involved the recovery and safe disposal of an unexploded missile warhead from the crude oil tanker when it was on way to Kochi after suffering damage off the coast of Oman.
The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker MT Olympic Life, did not have any Indian national onboard, the Navy said in a statement on Thursday, adding that it was on passage from Fujairah, UAE, to Kochi when it reported an explosion in its hull, while off the coast of Oman on May 26, 2026.
The vessel reported the presence of an unexploded ordnance as it continued its transit towards Kochi, the Navy statement noted.
“On receipt of information through the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), the Indian Navy initiated a coordinated response,” it said.
It added that 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,” it said.
According to the Navy, 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 recovered ordnance has been transported to a secure facility for safe stowage and detailed examination,” said an officer.
The Navy said that this highly risky operation, highlights the Indian Navy’s proficiency in explosive ordnance disposal, technical expertise and effective inter-agency coordination in addressing complex maritime contingencies.
“The Indian Navy’s prompt response to an emergency at sea, irrespective of the nationality of the crew or the ownership of the vessel, reaffirms its role as a responsible maritime force dedicated to global maritime safety and a trusted and preferred security partner in the region,” it noted.
