In a synchronized effort, the Navy, in conjunction with naval forces from Sri Lanka and Seychelles, successfully conducted the rescue operation of a fishing vessel with six crew members after it was seized in the sea lanes east of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, according to officials who provided details on Tuesday.
The Indian Navy has been notably active in recent weeks, responding promptly to distress calls from various vessels in need of assistance.
According to officials, the Sri Lankan-flagged fishing trawler Lorenzo Putha fell prey to three pirates on January 27. Responding swiftly, the Indian Navy deployed INS Sharada and also utilized the Sea Guardian long-range drones to pinpoint the hijacked fishing vessel on Sunday, eventually intercepting it the following day.
Commander Vivek Madhwal, spokesperson for the Indian Navy, remarked, "In a meticulously coordinated multinational effort to address the hijacking incident involving a Sri Lankan fishing vessel, the Indian Navy, in collaboration with the Seychelles defense forces and the Sri Lankan Navy, successfully intervened to rescue the hijacked vessel."
Following the intervention, the three pirates surrendered to the Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG), ensuring the safety of all six crew members, with the vessel now under escort to Mahé in Seychelles.
Madhwal elaborated, "In addition to the deployment of INS Sharada and utilization of the Sea Guardian long-range drones for locating and intercepting the hijacked fishing vessel, effective operational synchronization and information exchange facilitated by the Sri Lanka and Seychelles International Liaison Officers at IFC-IOR, New Delhi, led to the successful interception of the hijacked fishing vessel on Monday."
Established in 2018, the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) by the Indian Navy serves as a pivotal hub for monitoring shipping traffic and crucial developments in the region, fostering collaboration among like-minded nations.
Furthermore, the Navy disclosed on Wednesday that INS Sumitra, engaged in anti-piracy and maritime security operations in the east of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, executed the rescue of two hijacked fishing vessels along with 36 crew members (comprising 17 Iranians and 19 Pakistanis) in the Southern Arabian Sea within a span of 36 hours.
