The Indian Navy has successfully rescued the hijacked cargo ship MV Leela Norfolk from maritime pirates in the Arabian Sea. Even before the arrival of Indian Navy’s commandos, Marcos, on Friday, the pirates had fled the hijacked vessel. The crew of the ship, flying the Liberian flag, includes 15 Indian citizens out of a total of 21 members, all of whom are reported to be safe. The ship is now being escorted away from the coast of Somalia.
Pirates Flee upon Seeing the Navy’s Marcos Commando
Pirates fled upon seeing the Navy’s Marcos Commando. Upon receiving information about the hijacking of a cargo ship, the Indian Navy swiftly deployed its warships INS Chennai, maritime patrol aircraft P8I, and the Tohi Predator MQ9B drone in pursuit. INS Chennai had cornered the hijacked vessel near the coast of Somalia in the Arabian Sea around 3:15 pm on Friday. During this operation, warnings were issued to the maritime pirates, advising them to abandon the ship. Subsequently, Indian Navy’s Marcos Commandos descended onto the hijacked vessel to conduct a search, but no pirates were found on board.
#IndianNavy’s Swift Response to the Hijacking Attempt of MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea.
All 21 crew (incl #15Indians) onboard safely evacuated from the citadel.Sanitisation by MARCOs has confirmed absence of the hijackers.
The attempt of hijacking by the pirates… https://t.co/OvudB0A8VV pic.twitter.com/616q7avNjg
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) January 5, 2024
All Indian Crew Members on the Ship Are Safe
The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency has reported that all Indian crew members aboard the hijacked ship are safe. Under the surveillance of INS Chennai, the ship is being escorted out of the waters near the coast of Somalia. Earlier, the UKMTO had alerted the Navy on Thursday that five to six pirates had boarded the ship and were taking it towards Somalia. The cargo ship, en route from Brazil’s Port do Açu to Bahrain’s Khalifa bin Salman Port, had been seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden about ten days ago.
Increased Activity of Maritime Pirates Raises Concerns
Increased Activity of Maritime Pirates Raises Concerns. The Ministry of External Affairs expressed concern on Thursday over attacks by rebels on cargo ships in the Red Sea. The resurgence of maritime pirates has become a global concern. It is noteworthy that in 2017, special campaigns by navies of several countries in international collaboration almost eradicated these pirates.
No Mercy for Maritime Pirates – Naval Officer
No Mercy for Maritime Pirates – Naval Officer. Admiral R. Hari Kumar, Chief of the Indian Navy, has issued orders for Indian warships in the Arabian Sea to take action against maritime pirates. Four Indian warships have been deployed in the Arabian Sea to prevent attacks on commercial vessels in the region. The naval officer stated that the Indian Navy Headquarters is closely monitoring its campaigns in the sea.
Avinash Poojari is the owner of ComClone News website. He is an accomplished author specializing in the field of information technology. With a Master’s degree in Information Technology, Avinash hails from Mumbai. Passionate about researching breaking news, he is dedicated to providing accurate and up-to-date information to his readers.