Nineteen Pakistani nationals are saved after the Indian Navy warship INS Sumitra captured the fishing vessel ,which was hijacked by Somali pirates about 800 miles off the coast of Kochiand. This major operation followed another rescue mission within 24 hours where the Indian Navy rescued the Iranian-flagged fishing vessel FV Iman from Somali pirates.
In a significant operation, the Indian Navy cruiser INS Sumitra saved the hijacked fishing vessel Al Naemi from Somali pirates some 800 miles off the coast of Kochi, according to Indian Defense sources. On Monday, the Al Naemi, while cruising off the coast of Somalia, successfully rescued 19 people who were citizens of Pakistan.
Within a 24-hour period, the Indian Navy conducted its second rescue operation. In its anti-piracy operations around the east coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden on Monday, the Indian Navy rescued another Iranian-flagged fishing vessel, the FV Iman, from Somali pirates. The ship had seventeen crew members on board.
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The Marine Commandos of the Indian Navy participated in the effort to safely rescue the fishing boat’s crew. According to Indian Defense officials, “warships from the Indian Navy are stationed throughout the Indian Ocean region to provide safety and security in the area.”
The Indian Navy said that the INS Sumitra saved the hostages of 19 Pakistani nationals on board the fishing vessel after it was intercepted by pirates and action was taken to locate the stricken vessel.
The Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Iman sent out a distress signal, prompting the Indian navy to send out its destroyer, INS Sumitra, which was on an anti-piracy mission off the east coast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden.
A new wave of strikes by Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, has added to worries about an increase of opportunistic pirate raids in the Indian Ocean following the hijackings off the coast of Somalia. Responding to Israel’s battle against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza, Houthi gunmen have undertaken numerous attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, aimed against vessels with connections to Israel.
Due to the fact that international naval forces have been redirected into the Red Sea from the Gulf of Aden, there is concern that pirates may take advantage of the security void. The number of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia peaked in 2011 when gunmen launched assaults up to 3,655 kilometers (2,270 miles) into the Indian Ocean. However, the attacks thereafter significantly decreased when warships from other militaries and armed guards were stationed by commercial vessels.