Indian Navy Spells Trouble For Somali Pirates: Thwarts Second Piracy-Attempt In Arabian Sea, 19 Pakistani Nationals Rescued

The Indian Navy on Tuesday (30 January) successfully thwarted another piracy-attempt in the Arabian sea.

After thwarting the piracy attempt on Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Iman, the Indian Navy's warship INS Sumitra carried out another successful anti-piracy ops off the East Coast of Somalia, rescuing Fishing Vessel Al Naeemi and her crew of 19 Pakistani nationals from 11 Somali Pirates.

In a statement, the Indian Navy said that after rescuing MV Iman, INS Sumitra was again pressed into action to "locate and intercept another Iranian flagged FV which had been boarded by pirates and her crew taken hostage".

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"Responding swiftly to the developing situation Sumitra intercepted the FV on PM 29 January and through coercive posturing and effective deployment of her integral helo (helicopter) and boats compelled the safe release of the crew and the vessel," the Indian Navy said.

Highlighting the importance of the operations, the Navy further said that the rescue of hijacked Vessels also prevents misuse of the vessels by the pirates.

"This rescue of hijacked Vessels, through swift, persistent and relentless efforts by Mission Deployed Indian Navy warship in the Southern Arabian Sea approximately 850 nm (nautical miles) West of Kochi, also prevents misuse of Fishing Vessels as Mother Ships for further acts of Piracy on Merchant Vessels," it added.

Earlier on Monday (29 January), the INS Sumitra on anti-piracy operation along East Coast of Somalia and Gulf of Aden, responded to a distress message regarding hijacking of an Iranian flagged Fishing Vessel (FV) Iman.

The Fishing Vessel had been boarded by pirates and the crew was taken as hostages.

INS Sumitra intercepted the vessel, acted in accordance with the established SOPs to coerce the pirates for safe release of crew along with the boat and ensured successful release of all 17 crew members along with the boat.

The vessel was subsequently sanitised and released for onward transit.

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