Mumbai, Aug 20 (IANS): Merchant vessel MT Pavit, that drifted into the Indian waters without being detected and raised coastal security fears, was an "aberration", navy chief Admiral Nirmal Verma said Saturday.

"It has been an aberration," Verma told reporters here after commissioning the navy's stealth warship INS Satpura.

The navy and other coastal security agencies have learnt a lesson with it and the matter is being probed, he said.

"Bad weather" had affected deployment along the Indian coastline and it was not "as good as" it used to be, Verma said.

MT Pavit had ventured into the Indian waters July 31 without being detected by either the navy or the Indian Coast Guard.

The vessel was spotted by some fishermen, who after noticing its aimless movement, informed the authorities. However, by that time the ship was already running aground off the Juhu beach here.

The 1,000-tonne Panama-flagged vessel had suffered engine failure and ingress of water before it was abandoned off Oman after the crew were rescued.