New Delhi: The Indian Navy safely rescued 20 sailors from a fishing vessel that had been hijacked by Somali pirates.
The fishing vessel ‘Asini,’ owned by Iran, was heading off the northeastern coast of Somalia on the 29th of last month when armed pirates intercepted and hijacked it. The 20 Iranian sailors on board were taken captive.
This incident created a maritime security threat, and there was concern that pirates might use this fishing vessel to launch attacks on other merchant ships passing through the area. Following this, the Indian Navy deployed a warship and a maritime patrol aircraft to monitor the hijacked fishing vessel.
After continuous surveillance, Indian Navy personnel located the fishing vessel and took action to control its movement and prevent the pirates from escaping.
Following this, the naval commandos boarded the fishing vessel in a timely manner using an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft. Through swift and well-coordinated action, they thwarted the pirates’ threat, secured the vessel, and safely rescued all 20 sailors.
In a statement issued by the Indian Navy in this regard, “This successful operation is a testament to the Indian Navy’s high operational readiness and its ability to carry out complex maritime security operations through inter-service coordination.
“The Indian Navy remains committed to protecting seafarers, safeguarding key maritime trade routes, and ensuring a secure, resilient, and stable maritime environment in the Indian Ocean region,” it said.
Following this successful operation, the Iranian Embassy in Delhi expressed appreciation and gratitude to the Indian Armed Forces for the precision, inter-service coordination, and humanitarian dedication demonstrated during the rescue mission.