The Indian Navy rescued 23 Pakistani sailors and their Iranian fishing vessel, which had been targeted by pirates in the Arabian Sea. The anti-piracy operation lasted more than 12 hours and was ultimately successful.
The Indian Navy iss
ued a statement stating that they received information about a piracy attack on a fishing vessel named Al-Kambar 786 on the evening of March 28, 2024, after which two naval ships on a maritime security operation in the Arabian Sea were diverted to assist the hijacked fishing vessel. It further stated that it took over 12 hours of intense tactical measures to force the pirates onboard the captured fishing vessel to surrender. The 23 Pakistani crew members were safely rescued. According to the statement, naval teams sanitized and assessed the fishing vessel’s seaworthiness.
Getting into the details, the Navy stated that on March 29, INS Sumedha intercepted the fishing vessel after it sent a distress call. Sumedha was later joined by the Indian Navy’s guided missile frigate, INS Trishul.
The fishing vessel was around 90 nautical miles southwest of Socotra, a Yemeni island in the Indian Ocean, when 9 armed pirates attacked it. The Indian Navy carried out another mission earlier this month. When pirates targeted a vessel called Ruen, it intercepted it approximately 2600 kilometers off the coast of India. The Navy compelled the pirate ship to stop.
The rescue mission lasted 40 hours, and INS Kolkata brought the pirates to their knees while safely evacuating the 17 crew members. In yet another operation, the Navy responded quickly when a cargo vessel caught fire in the Gulf of Aden after being hit by a missile. The Navy saved 21 crew members, including one Indian.
The Indian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to regional maritime security, as well as the safety and well-being of all seafarers.