The Indian Navy, employing “intense coercive tactical measures” in a maritime anti-piracy operation in the early hours of March 29, successfully rescued an Iranian fishing vessel that had been hijacked by armed pirates, along with its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals, in the Gulf of Aden.
“After more than 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures as per the SOPs, the pirates on board hijacked FV were forced to surrender. The crew, comprising 23 Pakistani nationals, have been safely rescued,” said the Indian Navy. The operation 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.
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.
Indian Navy’s rescue operation in progress
Based on inputs on a potential piracy incident onboard the Iranian Fishing Vessel ‘Al Kamar 786’ late on March 28, two Indian naval ships, mission deployed in the Arabian Sea for maritime security operations, were diverted to intercept the hijacked fishing vessel. At the time of the incident, the FV was approximately 90 Nm southwest of Socotra in the northwest Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden and was reported to have been boarded by nine armed pirates, the statement said.
“INS Sumedha intercepted FV Al-Kambar in the early hours of 29 March and was subsequently joined by the guided missile frigate INS Trishul,” it added. The Indian Navy said it remains committed to ensuring maritime security in the region and the safety of seafarers, “irrespective of the nationalities”.
Ravi Shankar
