Indian Navy rescues 19 Pakistanis on vessel hijacked by Somali pirates

Indian Naval Ship Sumitra on January 29 rescued 19 Pakistani nationals on board a fishing vessel, Al Naeemi, from Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea.

The Iranian-flagged vessel had been boarded by pirates who took the crew hostage.

In a statement, the Indian Navy said that it intercepted the hijacked vessel through coercive posturing and deployed helicopters and boats to secure the release of the crew.

The operation was carried out hours after INS Sumitra thwarted a piracy bid by rescuing another Iranian-flagged MV Iman.

"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 Naeemi and her Crew (19 Pakistani Nationals) from 11 Somali Pirates," said Indian Navy spokesperson on X.

"This rescue of hijacked Vessels, through swift, persistent and relentless efforts by Mission Deployed #IndianNavy warship in the Southern Arabian Sea approx 850 nm West of Kochi, also prevents misuse of Fishing Vessels as Mother Ships for further acts of Piracy on Merchant Vessels," the spokesperson added.

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