A chemical tanker struck Saturday off the coast of India was targeted “by a one-way attack drone fired from Iran,” the Pentagon said in a statement.

The attack took place around 10 am local time (0600 GMT) and caused no casualties aboard the Japanese-owned vessel, it said, adding that a fire was extinguished. 

The US military “remains in communication with the vessel as it continues toward a destination in India,” it added.

The Pentagon statement said the Chem Pluto ship flew under a Liberian flag and was operated by a Dutch entity.

The drone strike occurred 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) off the coast of India, it said, adding that no US Navy vessels were in the vicinity.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strike which came amid a flurry of drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Huthi rebels on a vital shipping lane in the Red Sea.

The Huthis say they are conducting the attacks in solidarity with Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The Indian Navy said it had responded to a request for assistance. 

“An aircraft was dispatched and it reached overhead the vessel and established safety of the involved ship and its crew,” a navy official told AFP. 

“An Indian navy warship has also been dispatched so as to provide assistance as required.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

A 53-year-old senior professor of IIT Kanpur has died due to cardiac arrest while delivering a lecture during an alumni meet, institute authorities said on Saturday.

Sameer Khandekar, who was the dean of student affairs and the head of the mechanical engineering department, collapsed on the dais while addressing the gathering on Friday, they said.

He was taken to the hospital where he was declared dead upon arrival, the authorities added.

A professor said that Mr Khandekar was diagnosed with high cholesterol levels about five years ago.

Talking to PTI over the phone from Delhi, former IIT Kanpur Director Abhay Karandikar expressed shock over the sudden demise of Sameer Khandekar whom he described as an outstanding teacher and researcher.

Mr Khandekar was delivering a lecture when he felt severe chest pain and started sweating profusely. Before anyone could make sense of what was happening, he collapsed on the stage, Mr Karandikar added.

He said the body has been kept at the IIT Kanpur’s health centre and final rites would be performed only after the arrival of his only son Pravah Khandekar who is studying at Cambridge University.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Several Indians, including unaccompanied minors, remain stuck at an airport in France after local authorities yesterday grounded their plane over suspected “human trafficking”. The Nicaragua-bound charter plane from Dubai was carrying 303 people, most of them Indians. It was grounded on Saturday during a technical halt at Vatry airport near Paris.

A French judge, who has the authority to extend the detention of the passengers by eight days, is due to hear the case today.

The French border cops can hold a foreign national for up to four days if they land in the country and are not allowed to travel further. This can be extended for eight days a few times – and up to 26 days in total – in exceptional cases by a judge.

The Indian embassy in France has obtained consular access and are assessing the situation. It said it is working with the French government for the welfare of the Indians stuck at the airport.

Request For Asylum

At least 10 Indian passengers have applied for asylum, reported news agency AFP, adding six minors have also expressed an interest in applying for asylum.

At least 11 unaccompanied minors are on board the plane, according to the Paris prosecutor’s office.

The stranded passengers have been provided makeshift beds and access to toilets and showers. They have been given meals and hot drinks at the Vatry airport, an official said.

Vatry in eastern France is about 150 km from Paris and the airport serves mostly budget airlines. The grounded Airbus A340 belongs to a Romanian charter company named Legend Airlines.

The Paris prosecutor said the action came after an anonymous tip-off that some of the passengers on board the plane were “victims of human trafficking”. Two men have been detained and questioned by a specialised unit.

French law provides for a 20-year jail term for human trafficking cases.

A lawyer claiming that she represents the Legend Airlines said the company believed it had done nothing wrong, had committed no offence “and is at the disposal of the French authorities”.

She said the airline will take legal action if charges are filed.