SRINAGAR: In a display of maritime security prowess, the Indian Navy has successfully rescued the hijacked Iranian Fishing Vessel Al-Kambar and its 23 Pakistani national crew from the clutches of armed Somali pirates.
After a harrowing ordeal, the vessel was seized late Thursday evening approximately 90 nautical miles southwest of Socotra, hope was restored when INS Sumedha intercepted the vessel, swiftly followed by the guided missile frigate INS Trishul. The Indian Navy’s specialist teams engaged in more than 12 hours of tactical manoeuvres, employing standard operating procedures to ensure the safety of all involved, reports appearing in media said.
In a momentous turn of events, the armed pirates, facing the might of the Indian Navy, ultimately surrendered, paving the way for the legal processes to unfold. As per the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act of 2002, the surrendered pirates are now en route to India to face further legal action, marking a significant victory in the ongoing battle against piracy on the high seas.
The crew of the FV Al-Kambar, comprising 23 Pakistani nationals, received immediate medical attention and thorough check-ups. With the vessel cleared for continued fishing activities, a sense of relief washes over the crew as they prepare to resume their journey.
This triumph comes in the wake of heightened security concerns in the region, with piracy incidents on the rise in recent months.
The return of the pirates is a recent happening. The first incident of hijacking since 2017 was reported at the end of last year when naval forces operating in the area warned against two piracy groups working in the Indian Ocean. Earlier in January 2024, the Indian Navy carried out two rescue missions in the Indian Ocean to free vessels hijacked by Somali pirates.
Early this month, a Bangladeshi cargo vessel was hijacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean and around 23 people on board were taken hostage. The vessel, MV Abdullah, sailed with a cargo of 55,000 tons of coal to Dubai.
The resurgence of attacks by pirates has compounded a security crisis in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, where Houthi rebels have launched attacks on vessels.
