(Image source from: Twitter.com/indiannavy)
Indian Defense officials have reported that the Indian Navy warship INS Sumitra successfully rescued a hijacked fishing vessel called Al Naemi from Somali pirates. The rescue operation took place approximately 800 miles off the coast of Kochi, while the Al Naemi was sailing along the East Coast of Somalia. The Indian Navy managed to save 19 Pakistani nationals who were aboard the vessel. This marks the second rescue operation carried out by the Indian Navy within a 24-hour period. The previous operation involved the rescue of an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel called FV Iman, which had 17 crew members on board. The Indian Navy's Marine Commandos played a crucial role in ensuring the safe rescue of the fishing boat's crew. Indian Defense officials emphasized that Indian navy warships are strategically positioned across the Indian Ocean region to maintain safety and security. In this particular incident, the INS Sumitra intercepted the distressed vessel and swiftly took action to locate the fishing vessel, which had been hijacked by pirates. The Navy successfully rescued the 19 Pakistani nationals who had been held hostage.
#INSSumitra Carries out 2nd Successful #AntiPiracy Ops – Rescuing 19 Crew members & Vessel from Somali Pirates.
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) January 30, 2024
Having thwarted the Piracy attempt on FV Iman, the warship has carried out another successful anti-piracy ops off the East Coast of Somalia, rescuing Fishing Vessel Al… https://t.co/QZz9bCihaU pic.twitter.com/6AonHw51KX
Responding to a distress call from the Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Iman, a patrol in the Gulf of Aden off the east coast of Somalia has raised concerns about a potential increase in pirate activity in the Indian Ocean. This comes alongside a surge of attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, targeting vessels associated with Israel due to its conflict with Hamas in Gaza. As a result, naval forces have been redirected from the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea, creating a security gap that pirates may exploit. In fact, December saw the first successful case of Somali piracy since 2017. These pirate attacks were at their highest in 2011, with gunmen launching assaults as far as 3,655 kilometers (2,270 miles) from the Somali coast in the Indian Ocean. However, the number of incidents significantly decreased after international navies deployed warships and armed guards on commercial ships.
