Detailing the sequence of events, the Navy disclosed that INS Sumedha took the lead in intercepting ‘Al Kambar’ during the early hours of Friday, with INS Trishul providing additional support
The Indian Navy successfully rescued an Iranian fishing vessel, hijacked by armed pirates, along with its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals after employing “intense coercive tactical measures” in a maritime anti-piracy operation.
Officials revealed that the operation, lasting over 12 hours, involved specialised naval teams conducting thorough checks to ensure the vessel’s seaworthiness and safety before escorting it to a secure location for the resumption of normal fishing activities.
An official statement from the Navy’s spokesperson outlined the ongoing efforts, emphasizing the meticulous sanitization and inspection procedures being carried out onboard the fishing vessel.
The rescue operation commenced late evening on Friday after reports surfaced regarding the hijacking of the fishing vessel, named ‘Al Kambar,’ by nine armed pirates. The Navy swiftly mobilised its assets to intercept the hijacked vessel, which had been boarded by the pirates a day earlier.
Detailing the sequence of events, the Navy disclosed that INS Sumedha took the lead in intercepting ‘Al Kambar’ during the early hours of Friday, with INS Trishul providing additional support.
“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,” affirmed the Indian Navy.
The fishing vessel at the time of 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 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 before the press conference of the Navy chief in March 23.
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.
sekhmet1010 on March 30th, 2024 at 18:36 UTC »
This is lovely and sweet.
bluesmom913 on March 30th, 2024 at 12:15 UTC »
Sworn enemies put all that bs aside for human life. I love this.