The Indian Navy in collaboration with Seychelles Defence Forces and Sri Lanka Navy has successfully intercepted and rescued a Sri Lankan fishing vessel hijacked by Somali pirates.
According a defence ministry statement, the hijacking incident was reported onboard the Sri Lankan flagged fishing trawler Lorenzo Putha about 955 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, Somalia on January 27.
Indian Navy deployed INS Sharada and also tasked the Sea Guardian long-range drones to locate and intercept the vessel.
“Additionally, efficient operational coordination and Information Sharing through the Sri Lanka and Seychelles International Liaison Officers at IFC IOR, New Delhi resulted in the interception of the hijacked fishing vessel by SCGS Topaz in Seychelles EEZ on 29 Jan 24,” the ministry said.
The three pirates have surrendered to the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG). All six crew members are safe and the vessel is being escorted to Mahe.
In another swift operation earlier in the day, the Navy rescued an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel with 19 Pakistani crew members off the east coast of Somalia.
"Indian naval ship Sumitra, having thwarted the piracy attempt on FV Iman, has carried out yet another successful anti-piracy operation off the east coast of Somalia, rescuing fishing vessel Al Naeemi and her 19 Pakistani crew from 11 Somali pirates," Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.
In total, the Indian Navy rescued three hijacked vessels in the Arabian Sea since January 28.
Last week, the Indian Navy's guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam extinguished a fire onboard a commercial oil tanker with 22 Indian crew after the vessel was struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden.