Indian Navy rescues 20 crew members from Somali pirates in 48-hour operation
The Iranian fishing vessel Azini was hijacked off Somalia's northeastern coast before the Navy, with Air Force support, intercepted the ship and freed its crew
The Indian Navy has rescued all 20 crew members of a fishing vessel seized by heavily armed Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea, bringing a carefully planned 48-hour operation to a successful close more than 3,000 km from Mumbai.
The Navy tracked down and intercepted the vessel on Monday, securing the release of both the ship and its crew, with assistance from the Indian Air Force. The operation comes against the backdrop of renewed Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean, where a spate of recent hijackings has raised fresh concerns over the safety of commercial shipping.
Somali piracy sparks fresh concerns
The rescue followed the hijacking of the Azini by Somali pirates off the northeastern coast of Somalia, fuelling fears that the fishing vessel could be turned into a launchpad for attacks on merchant ships. The seizure took place on Thursday in waters between the coastal towns of Bandar Bayla and Hafun in northeastern Somalia.
Officials said 12 armed pirates had taken control of the fishing vessel. It had 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards on board when it was seized, putting the total number of people aboard at 23.
The Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean had alerted authorities to the incident, cautioning that the vessel was heading towards a busy commercial shipping route. It also warned that the pirates could use it as a "mother ship" to launch attacks on passing merchant vessels.
Navy lauded for swift response
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the Indian Navy for tracking down and intercepting the Iranian fishing vessel Azini and ensuring the safe release of the ship and its crew. He said the operation had received timely assistance from the Indian Air Force.
In a post on X, Singh said the successful mission reflected the Navy's operational preparedness and its capacity to deal firmly with maritime threats across the region. “Our brave personnel have once again demonstrated India's ability, intent and resolve to safeguard lives, uphold maritime security and ensure stability across the Indian Ocean Region," he said.
He pointed out that the operation was a testimony of "Indian Navy’s high operational readiness and ability to respond decisively to maritime threats across the region."
The seizure of the Azini is the latest incident in a renewed wave of Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean, with commercial vessels facing a series of attacks in recent months.
By August, pirates had taken control of six commercial vessels since April, including ships targeted far from Somalia's coast. One of them was the oil products tanker Sibu 1, which was hijacked around 252 km east of Al-Mukalla in Yemen.