New Delhi: Indian Navy freed Iranian fishing vessel hijacked by Somali pirates. The incident took place 700 nautical miles from Kochi.
India’s warship INS Sumitra, which is patrolling the Somali coast and the Gulf of Aden, scrambled after receiving the distress message from the ship. After giving a warning, the pirates retreated.
The Dhruv helicopters of the warship also took part in the mission. All 17 crew members on board the ship are safe, the Navy said.
Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said that the ship was fully inspected.
Two days ago, the Indian Navy had come to rescue a British oil tanker in the Strait of Aden in a missile attack by Houthi rebels. INS Visakhapatnam provided protection to the British ship MV Marlin Luanda. International maritime agencies have praised India’s leadership in providing security in the Indian Ocean.