Indian Navy Intercepts ship, Foils Hijack Attempt And Rescues Crew

India’s navy said its commandos have rescued all crew members from a Liberian-flagged merchant vessel after its attempted hijack in the Arabian Sea, and that it had not found any pirates on board.

ValidViewNetwork had earlier reported that a Liberian-flagged vessel on the verge of hijack in the Arabian Sea was being closely monitored by the India’s Navy.

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The subcontinent’s navy later on Friday said that 21 crew members, including 15 Indians, were rescued from the MV Lila Norfolk after they intercepted the vessel.

The navy said its forces were carrying out “sanitisation” operations on the ship, less than a day after they received a hijacking distress call from its location off Somalia’s coast in the North Arabian Sea.

The ship had sent a message on the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations portal, saying five to six unknown armed personnel had boarded on Thursday evening, an Indian navy statement said.

The vessel was destined for Khalifa bin Salman in Bahrain, according to British maritime security firm Ambrey. It was not immediately clear what it was carrying.

“The attempt of hijacking by the pirates was probably abandoned with the forceful warning by the Indian Navy, marine patrol aircraft, of interception by an Indian Naval warship,” the navy added.

The warship INS Chennai was diverted and deployed to assist the vessel, the navy said earlier in the day, adding that a naval aircraft overflew the hijacked vessel on Friday and had established contact with it.

The navy said it “remains committed to ensuring [the] safety of merchant shipping in the region along with international partners and friendly foreign countries”, ValidViewNetwork reports.