Under “intense coercive tactical measures” for over 12 hours, the Indian Navy on Friday freed a hijacked Iranian fishing vessel and its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals as part of an anti-piracy operation at sea, officials said.
According to an official statement shared by the Navy’s spokesperson, Indian naval specialist teams are currently conducting thorough sanitization and seaworthiness checks of the fishing vessel in order to escort her to a safe area for the resumed normal fishing activities.
Late on Friday night, the Indian Navy announced that it was conducting an operation to free the crew and the hijacked fishing vessel, which was allegedly boarded by nine armed pirates, at sea.
The Navy reported that on Thursday, the hijacked ship was intercepted.
“INS Sumedha intercepted FV ‘Al Kambar’ during early hours of Friday and was joined subsequently by the guided missile frigate INS Trishul,” it read.
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“The pirates on board the stolen fishing vessel were forced to surrender after more than 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures in accordance with the SOPs. The Indian Navy continued, “The crew, which included 23 Pakistani nationals, has been safely rescued.
When the incident occurred, the fishing vessel was “reported to have been boarded by nine armed pirates,” according to reports, and it was located about 90 nautical miles southwest of Socotra.
The Indian Navy declared that, “regardless of the nationalities,” it is still dedicated to maintaining maritime security in the area and seafarers’ safety.
The Socotra Archipelago is located close to the Gulf of Aden in the northwest Indian Ocean.
Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar of the Indian Navy stated on March 23 that the force would take “affirmative action” to guarantee a safer and more secure Indian Ocean region, citing the anti-piracy and other maritime security operations carried out by the naval force in the previous 100 days under the banner of “Op Sankalp.”
The Navy has conducted anti-piracy, anti-missile, and anti-drone operations as part of maritime security operations; during ‘Op Sankalp,’ 110 lives—45 Indians and 65 foreign nationals—have been saved in that 100-day period, according to a PPT presentation made by a Navy officer prior to the Navy Chief’s March 23 press conference.
The presentation also stated that “more than 90 maritime incidents have happened” between November of last year and March. These incidents include 39 cases involving piracy, hijacking, or suspicious approaches, as well as 57 drone or missile attacks or sightings.
