Indian Navy rescues 23 Pakistani nationals from pirate-attacked Iranian vessel

NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy rescued a group of 23 Pakistani nationals on an Iranian fishing boat after responding to a pirate attack in the Arabian Sea.

In a statement, the Navy said, “Based on inputs on a potential piracy incident onboard an Iranian Fishing Vessel 'Al-Kambar 786' late evening on March 28, two Indian Naval ships - mission deployed in the Arabian Sea for maritime security operations - were diverted to intercept the hijacked fishing vessel”.

“After more than 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures as per the SOPs, the pirates on board the hijacked FV were forced to surrender. The crew, comprising 23 Pakistani nationals, have been safely rescued,” it added.

The naval team cleaned the vessel and made sure it was safe to sail again so that the crew could resume their fishing activities.

INS Sumedha intercepted the fishing vessel Al-Kambar on Friday after it sent a distress call. INS Trishul, a guided missile frigate, later joined the operation.

The vessel was about 90 nautical miles southwest of Socotra, an island belonging to Yemen in the Indian Ocean when nine armed pirates boarded it.

The Socotra Archipelago is located in the northwest of the Indian Ocean, near the Gulf of Aden.

The Indian Navy stated that it is dedicated to ensuring maritime security in the region and the safety of all seafarers, regardless of their nationality.

The Indian Navy has been actively involved in anti-piracy efforts in the Indian Ocean region. Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar recently stated that the Navy will take decisive action to make the Indian Ocean Region more safe and secure.

Earlier this month, the Indian Navy conducted a daring operation to intercept the ship Ruen, which was nearly 2,600 kilometers away from the Indian coast, when it was attacked by pirates. The Navy used strategic actions to force the pirate ship to stop.

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