Indian Navy rescues 20 crew members from hijacked Iranian vessel
The 48-hour operation took place in the Arabian Sea, more than 3,000 km from Mumbai, to secure the crew and ship.
The Indian Navy completed a 48-hour operation on Monday to rescue 20 crew members from the Iranian fishing vessel Azini, according to reports by Hindustan Times and India Today. The vessel had been seized by Somali pirates on October 29 in the Arabian Sea, more than 3,000 km from Mumbai.
The Navy found and intercepted the ship before ensuring the safe release of the crew and the vessel with assistance from the Indian Air Force. Officials noted that 12 pirates had boarded the ship, which was carrying 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards at the time of the hijacking.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the Navy for the meticulously coordinated mission. In a post on X, Singh stated that the successful interception and release of the crew from heavily armed pirates showed the Navy's high operational readiness and its capacity to act decisively against maritime threats.
The hijacking occurred off the northeastern coast of Somalia between the towns of Bandar Bayla and Hafun. The Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean had previously issued an alert warning that the vessel might be used as a mother ship for further attacks on commercial shipping lanes.
The operation comes during a period of renewed piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean. One Indian warship has been conducting continuous anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden since October 23, 2008, to protect sea-borne trade.