- Sunday, November 24, 2024
Sources said the pirates on board the hijacked ship was forced to surrender following intense coercive tactical measures for more than 12 hours.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE Indian Navy on Friday (29) rescued a hijacked Iranian fishing vessel and its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals after carrying out “intense coercive tactical measures” for more than 12 hours as part of an anti-piracy operation at sea, officials revealed.
Specialist teams from the navy are currently undertaking thorough sanitisation and seaworthiness checks of the fishing vessel to escort her to a safe area for resuming normal fishing activities, according to an official statement shared by the Navy’s spokesperson.
Late on Friday evening, the navy had said that it was engaged in an operation to rescue the hijacked fishing vessel, which had reportedly been boarded by nine armed pirates, and its crew at sea.
The hijacked vessel was intercepted on Thursday (28), the navy added.
#India's navy continues to embody courage and compassion, rescuing 23 Pakistani citizens from Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea.
True heroes know no borders. ??⚓@indiannavy
#IndianNavy pic.twitter.com/ZsXMcZWjPi— Satya Kumar Yadav (Modi Ka Parivar) (@satyakumar_y) March 30, 2024
“INS Sumedha intercepted FV ‘Al Kambar’ during early hours of Friday and was joined subsequently by the guided missile frigate INS Trishul,” it said.
“After more than 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures as per the SOPs, the pirates on board the hijacked fishing vessel were forced to surrender. The crew, comprising 23 Pakistani nationals, have been safely rescued,” the navy said.
The fishing vessel at the time of incident was approximately 90 nm southwest of Socotra archipelago and was “reported to have been boarded by nine armed pirates,” it said.
The navy also informed that it remains committed to ensuring maritime security in the region and safety of seafarers, “irrespective of the nationalities”.
Socotra Archipelago is in the northwest Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden.
The Indian Navy will take “affirmative action” to ensure a safer and more secure Indian Ocean Region, its chief Admiral R Hari Kumar had said on March 23 while citing the anti-piracy and other maritime security operations undertaken by the naval force in the preceding 100 days under ‘Op Sankalp’.
As part of maritime security operations, the navy has undertaken anti-piracy, anti-missiles and anti-drones operations; 110 lives — 45 Indians and 65 foreign nationals — have been saved during ‘Op Sankalp’ in that 100-day period, according to a PPT presentation that was given by a navy officer prior to Hari Kumar’s press conference.
It was also mentioned in the presentation that from November last year till March, “more than 90 maritime incidents have happened”, including 57 drone or missile attacks or sightings; and 39 incidents that include piracy, hijacking, or suspicious approaches.
(With PTI inputs)
