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Indian Navy Rescues 20 Crew from Hijacked Iranian Fishing Boat
Confirmed
In Short: Indian naval forces successfully rescued 20 crew members from an Iranian fishing boat, the Azini, which had been hijacked off the coast of Somalia.
Indian naval forces successfully rescued 20 crew members from an Iranian fishing boat, the Azini, which had been hijacked off the coast of Somalia. The operation, which lasted more than 48 hours, was completed in the Arabian Sea, more than 3,000 kilometers from Mumbai.
According to India's Defense Ministry, the rescue was carried out with support from the Indian Air Force, which airdropped additional commandos to assist in the operation. The Indian Navy tracked the vessel by sea and air before securing it.
An official with the Puntland Maritime Police Force told The Associated Press that Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates, confiscated their mobile phones, and released them. The suspects and two Somali security guards later came ashore at Bandar Bayla in northeastern Somalia.
The hijacking of the Azini occurred on October 29, and the vessel was moved toward a commercial shipping lane. The EU’s Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean had warned that the vessel could be used as a mothership, a captured ship that serves as a mobile base to launch attacks on larger vessels.
The rescue operation was praised by Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, who congratulated the Indian Navy for its swift and coordinated efforts. Singh credited the Navy with the “swift localisation, interception and safe release” of the crew and vessel from heavily armed pirates.
The incident highlights the resurgence of Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean. In September, Puntland authorities reported that pirates had killed five crew members of the tanker MT Honour 25 before security forces retook it and detained 16 suspects.
Despite the successful rescue, there remains some confusion regarding the exact number of individuals on board the Azini. Puntland maritime police initially stated that the vessel carried 23 people, including 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards.
The Indian Navy's operation underscores India's commitment to maritime security and stability in the Indian Ocean Region. The Indian Navy and Air Force have once again demonstrated their ability to safeguard lives and uphold maritime security.
The Azini was the third Iranian fishing dhow reported seized off Somalia since July, according to regional security officials, indicating a sharp return of piracy to the area.
While the rescue was a success, the incident highlights the ongoing challenges in combating piracy in the region and the need for continued international cooperation to ensure safe seas.
What's confirmed
- MOGADISHU, Somalia: Indian naval forces freed an Iranian fishing boat and its crew of 20 hijacked off Somalia after an operation lasting more than 48 hours, India’s Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
- An official with the Puntland Maritime Police Force told The Associated Press that Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates, confiscated their mobile phones and released them.
- In September, Puntland authorities said pirates killed five crew members of the tanker MT Honour 25 before security forces recovered it.
- The rescue of the Azini was completed Monday in the Arabian Sea, more than 3,000 kilometers (1,865 miles) from Mumbai, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said.
- An Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft airdropped additional commandos, the ministry said.
- FILE - Fishermen stand on the Indian Ocean beach at dusk in the former pirate village of Eyl, in Somalia's semiautonomous northeastern state of Puntland, Somalia, March 6, 2017.
- The hijacking followed a resurgence of Somali piracy across the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean.
- Indian naval forces have freed an Iranian fishing boat and its crew of 20 hijacked off Somalia.
- A Puntland maritime police officer said on Sunday that it carried 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards.
- The difference between that crew count and India's rescue figure could not immediately be explained.
- It did not specify whether that account covered everyone aboard or only the rescued crew.
- It said there had been concern that pirates could use the boat as a floating base for attacks on commercial ships.
What's still developing
- India continues to stand resolute in ensuring SAFE SEAS and a free, open and secure Indian Ocean Region.