Indian Navy foils Arabian Sea hijack, rescues 19 Pakistanis from pirates
The Indian Naval vessel Sumitra successfully intervened to prevent a piracy incident involving the FV Iman off the eastern coast of Somalia. In the process, it rescued the fishing vessel Al Naeemi along with its crew, comprising 19 individuals from Pakistan.
The spokesperson announced on Tuesday that INS Sumitra, a warship of the Indian Navy, executed a second effective anti-piracy mission, rescuing 19 crew members and a vessel from armed Somali pirates. The operation involved thwarting a piracy attempt on FV Iman off the eastern coast of Somalia and rescuing the fishing vessel Al Naeemi, along with 19 Pakistani nationals, from the grip of 11 Somali pirates, as stated on social media X (formerly known as X).
Following the successful rescue of the Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Iman from Somali pirates, in which 17 crew members were onboard, INS Sumitra conducted the operation as part of its anti-piracy efforts along the east coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden on Sunday night.
The Indian Navy reported that its warship INS Sumitra intercepted the vessel and followed established Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to pressure the pirates into safely releasing the crew and the boat. This resulted in the successful release of all 17 crew members along with the boat.
“Following the successful rescue of MV Iman, INS Sumitra was once again mobilized to locate and intercept another Iranian-flagged fishing vessel that had been seized by pirates, with its crew being held hostage,” stated the Indian Navy on Tuesday.
In a prompt response to the unfolding circumstances, INS Sumitra intercepted the fishing vessel on the evening of January 29, 2024, and utilized assertive tactics and the efficient deployment of its onboard helicopter and boats to ensure the safe release of both the crew and the vessel.
“The swift, persistent, and unwavering efforts of the Indian Navy warship deployed on a mission in the Southern Arabian Sea, approximately 850 nautical miles west of Kochi, resulted in the rescue of hijacked vessels. This action also serves to prevent the misuse of fishing vessels as mother ships for subsequent acts of piracy on merchant vessels,” it further stated.
The naval warship successfully facilitates the release of a hijacked Iranian fishing vessel.
In quick response to a distress signal from the vessel on Sunday night, the Indian Navy swiftly acted. Commander Vivek Madhwal, spokesperson for the Indian Navy, stated that INS Sumitra, engaged in anti-piracy operations along the east coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, promptly answered a distress call concerning the hijacking of the Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Iman.
Madhwal explained that the fishing vessel had been overtaken by pirates, resulting in the crew being held hostage. Following this, the vessel underwent a thorough check and was then released to resume its journey.
“The presence of Indian naval ships on mission assignments related to anti-piracy and maritime security operations in the Indian Ocean region underscores the Indian Navy’s commitment to ensuring the safety of all vessels and sailors at sea,” the spokesperson emphasized.
The Indian Navy’s response to this recent incident occurred two days after its warship INS Visakhapatnam swiftly intervened to extinguish a fire onboard a commercial oil tanker, which had 22 Indian crew members, following a missile strike in the Gulf of Aden. Responding to a distress call from the tanker on Friday night, the Indian Navy dispatched its missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam for assistance.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that the Marshall Islands-flagged vessel MV Marlin Luanda was struck by an anti-ship ballistic missile launched by Iran-backed Houthi militants.
On January 5, the Indian Navy successfully prevented an attempted hijacking of the Liberian-flagged vessel MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea and safely rescued all crew members.
The Liberian-flagged vessel MV Chem Pluto, carrying 21 Indian crew members, was targeted in a drone attack off the west coast of India on December 23.
In addition to MV Chem Pluto, another commercial oil tanker en route to India was subjected to a suspected drone strike in the Southern Red Sea on the same day, with a crew of 25 Indians on board.
In response to the heightened maritime threats, the Indian Navy has bolstered the deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations, particularly in critical sea lanes such as those in the north and central Arabian Sea.
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