On Friday, the Indian Navy successfully rescued an Iranian fishing vessel that had been hijacked by Somali pirates, along with its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals. As confirmed by officials, the operation involved over 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures as part of an anti-piracy mission at sea.
Indian naval specialist teams are conducting thorough sanitisation and seaworthiness checks on the fishing vessel. The aim is to escort it to a safe area so that the crew can resume their normal fishing activities, according to an official statement released by the Navy's spokesperson.
Late on Friday evening, the Indian Navy announced its engagement in the operation to rescue the hijacked fishing vessel. The vessel, reportedly boarded by nine armed pirates, was intercepted on Thursday, as per the Navy's statement.
"INS Sumedha intercepted FV 'Al Kambar' in the early hours of Friday and was subsequently joined 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 Indian Navy added.
The fishing vessel at the time of the incident was approximately 90 nm southwest of Socotra and was "reported to have been boarded by nine armed pirates," it said.
The Indian Navy said it remains committed to ensuring maritime security in the region and the safety of seafarers, "irrespective of the nationalities".
Located in the northwest Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden, the Socotra Archipelago is a strategic point in maritime security considerations.
Admiral R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Indian Navy, emphasises the commitment to enhance safety and security in the Indian Ocean Region on March 23.
He highlighted the naval force's proactive stance, citing operations conducted under 'Op Sankalp', particularly in combating piracy and other maritime threats.
During the 100-day period under 'Op Sankalp', the Navy executed various maritime security operations, including counter-piracy, anti-missile, and anti-drone activities. Notably, these efforts rescued 110 lives, comprising 45 Indians and 65 foreign nationals, as revealed in a PPT presentation delivered by a Navy official before the Navy chief's press conference on March 23.
The presentation further outlined that between November of the previous year and March, over 90 maritime incidents occurred. Among these were 57 drone or missile-related incidents and 39 instances involving piracy, hijacking, or suspicious approaches.
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