A specialist team of the navy protected the Pakistanis from nine armed pirates and carried out sanitization and seaworthiness checks of the hijacked Iranian vessel, Al-Khambar.
By: Shubham Ghosh
THE Indian Navy recently rescued 23 Pakistani nationals travelling on an Iranian-flagged shipping vessel from Somali pirates following a daring operation in the Arabian Sea and the sailors acknowledged the favour by raising ‘India Zindabad’ (Hail India) slogans.
A specialist team of the navy protected the Pakistanis from nine armed pirates and carried out sanitization and seaworthiness checks of the vessel, Al-Khambar.
On Thursday (28) evening, two ships of the Indian Navy, deployed in the Arabian Sea for maritime security operations, were diverted to intercept the hijacked fishing vessel after receiving inputs on a potential incident of piracy.
The ship was around 90 nautical miles south-west of Socotra archipelago and was reportedly boarded by the armed pirates. It was intercepted by the Indian Navy personnel on Friday (29).
Read: Indian Navy rescues hijacked Iranian shipping vessel
#WATCH | The crew comprising 23 Pakistani nationals thanked the Indian Navy and raise 'India Zindabad' slogans after the Indian Navy’s specialist team protected them from nine armed pirates, and completed sanitisation and seaworthiness checks of FV Al-Kambar.
The crew were… https://t.co/AREXZTtqiR pic.twitter.com/0QE4B7GfSe
— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2024
The Indian Navy has carried out a number of rescue operations in recent times at sea. Earlier this month, it intercepted a ship MV Ruen, which was sailing nearly 2,600 kilometres from the Indian coasts when attacked by pirates. Seven Bulgarian crew members were rescued in that operation following which the president of Bulgaria thanked the Indian leadership.
#IndianNavy Responds to Piracy Attack in the #ArabianSea.
Inputs received on a potential piracy incident onboard Iranian Fishing Vessel 'Al-Kambar' late evening on #28Mar 24, approx 90 nm South West of Socotra.
Two Indian Naval ships, mission deployed in the #ArabianSea for… pic.twitter.com/PdEZiCAu3t— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) March 29, 2024
In another operation, the navy swung into action after getting a distress call from the Gulf of Aden where a Barbados-flagged Liberian-owned merchant vessel caught fire after being hit by a missile, reportedly fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, and rescued 21 crew members, including an Indian.