NEW DELHI :In a major anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia, the Indian Navy has rescued all 20 crew members of a hijacked fishing vessel, Azini, after an operation lasting more than 48 hours. No casualties or injuries were reported.
The vessel had been seized by armed pirates off Somalia’s north-eastern coast last month, raising concerns that it could be used as a ‘mother ship’ to launch further attacks on merchant vessels passing through the strategically important waters, said a government statement here..
The Navy deployed a warship and a maritime reconnaissance aircraft to locate and track the hijacked vessel. After sustained surveillance, the forces used calibrated non-lethal measures to restrict its movement and prevent the pirates from escaping.
The operation also involved close coordination with the Indian Air Force, which air-dropped Marine Commandos using a C-17 aircraft to reinforce the naval team. The commandos subsequently secured the vessel, neutralised the pirate threat and freed all 20 crew members, as per the statement.
