Indian Navy Thwarts Hijack Attempt in Arabian Sea, Rescues Merchant Vessel Crew

Via Syndicated Feed

Cover Image Attribute: The file photo of INS Chennai (D65) during an exercise in the Indian Ocean / Source: Indian Navy, GODL.

In a swift and decisive operation, the Indian Navy rescued the crew of the Liberian-flagged MV Lila Norfolk, a merchant vessel that faced an attempted hijack in the Arabian Sea. The incident unfolded less than a day after distress signals indicated a hostile takeover around 460 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia.
Initial reports received by the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency indicated that the vessel had been boarded by a group of five to six armed individuals on Thursday. The ship's crew promptly sought refuge in the ship's citadel, fortifying themselves against the intruders.
Responding promptly to the distress call, INS Chennai (D65), a Kolkata-class stealth-guided missile destroyer of the Indian Navy, intercepted the vessel, executing a swift and precise operation that led to the safe evacuation of all 21 crew members, including 15 Indian nationals. Additionally, efforts were underway to restore power to the vessel, allowing it to resume its intended voyage. While the cargo carried by the vessel remains undisclosed, the ship was en route to Khalifa bin Salman in Bahrain, according to reports from maritime security firm Ambrey.
Authorities emphasized that no pirates were found on board following the successful rescue operation. The Indian Navy issued a statement suggesting that the attempted hijacking was likely thwarted due to the forceful warning conveyed by Indian Naval warships and marine patrol aircraft during their interception.
The recent incident underscores the heightened security concerns in the region, prompting intensified surveillance efforts by the Indian Navy in the Arabian Sea. Notably, the resurgence of hijacking and attempted hijacking of commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea resurfaced in December, marking a stark resurgence after a six-year period of relative calm.
Experts in maritime security and naval operations attribute this resurgence to a strategic shift in the focus of anti-piracy efforts. With the U.S.-led anti-piracy naval forces diverting their attention to the Red Sea, primarily to counter threats posed by Houthi rebels, the Gulf of Aden appears to have witnessed a diminished presence of international maritime security patrols. This power vacuum has likely emboldened pirates to resume their nefarious activities in the region.
Abhijit Singh, the head of the Maritime Policy Initiative at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi, emphasized, "The sudden revival in ship hijacking and attacks can only be attributed to the pirates' willingness to take advantage of the fact that the focus of anti-piracy maritime forces has largely shifted from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea."
Data obtained from the Indian Navy's Information Fusion Centre - Indian Ocean Region reveals at least three reported hijackings in December alone, marking a worrying trend. Prior to these recent incidents, the last reported hijacking dated back to 2017, signaling a troubling resurgence in maritime piracy in the area.
Notably, India is not a participant in the U.S.-led Red Sea task force, further highlighting the evolving dynamics and the need for a coordinated international response to tackle piracy threats in these vital maritime corridors.
As the situation continues to evolve, stakeholders in maritime security stress the importance of collaborative efforts among nations to bolster patrols and ensure the safety of shipping lanes in the region. IndraStra Global Staff has not edited this story, which is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.

IndraStra Global is now available on
Apple News, Google News, Feedly, Flipboard, and  WhatsApp Channel

COPYRIGHT: This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

REPUBLISH: Republish our articles online or in print for free if you follow these guidelines. https://www.indrastra.com/p/republish-us.html