The Indian Navy has rescued all 20 crew members of an Iranian fishing vessel seized by Somali pirates, bringing a more than 48-hour operation to a successful conclusion without any casualties.
The vessel, identified as the Azini, was hijacked on October 29 by 12-armed pirates off the northeastern coast of Somalia, between the coastal towns of Bandar Bayla and Hafun. The seizure raised concerns among maritime security authorities that the vessel could be converted into a so-called “mothership”.
The operation, completed on 2 November more than 3,000 kilometres from Mumbai, brought together an Indian Navy warship, maritime surveillance aircraft, Marine Commandos and the Indian Air Force (IAF). Following reports of the hijacking, the Indian Navy deployed a warship to intercept the vessel, supported by an aerial reconnaissance aircraft.
The two platforms worked in close coordination, maintaining surveillance, tracking the pirates’ movements and gradually restricting the vessel’s ability to manoeuvre or escape.
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