On January 5, 2024, the Indian Navy’s esteemed marine commandos effectively executed a courageous rescue mission in the North Arabian Sea. Their mission was to save a total of 21 crew members, including 15 Indian nationals, who were aboard the Liberian-flagged vessel MV Lila Norfolk. This operation displayed their swift response in thwarting an attempted hijacking.
Source: ANI
New Delhi: Indian Navy showcased a ‘savvy action’ as its military commanders (MARCOS) on Friday successfully launched a rescue operation to save the crew onboard the distressed cargo vessel, MV Lila Norfolk. 15 of the 21 members on the Liberian-flagged vessel likely targeted by Somali pirates off the coast of Arabian Sea were Indians.
Commander Vivek Madhwal, spokesperson for the Indian Navy, confirmed that all 21 crew members were successfully rescued from the citadel. Following the rescue, the Navy held a ‘sanitation process’ which revealed the absence of pirates on the ship. In a statement, the Navy stated that the plan to hijack was probably abandoned due to their “forceful warning” through interception of the cargo vessel.
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Indian Navy Intervenes
The merchant vessel sent a distress call on UKMTO (U.K. Maritime Trade Operations) portal on Thursday evening. It was 460 nautical miles off the coast of Eyl in Somalia, signalling unauthorised boarding by five to six armed individuals. Answering the call, the Navy rerouted its destroyer INS Chennai on anti-piracy patrol in the region. In addition to a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), Predator MQ9B and integral helicopters were deployed for surveillance, thus ensuring the safety of the crew onboard.
As per reports, the crew gathered in the citadel, the strong room inside a ship with provision for communication. The cargo vessel was going from Brazil to Khalifa Bin Salman Port in Bahrain when the incident occurred. After the completion of the sanitation process, MARCOS safely evacuated all the crew members
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Source: X
First Hijacking in the Region
This is the second hijacking attempt in the region. In December last year, the Indian Navy answered a Mayday message from Malta-flagged commercial ship, MV Ruen. It was the first successful hijacking by Somali pirates since 2017 when international naval initiatives successfully thwarted a series of seizures in both the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. The Indian Navy redirected its Naval MPA, originally conducting surveillance in the region, along with its warship on Anti-Piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate and provide assistance to MV Ruen. The Navy negotiated with the pirates for the release, after which one of the crew who sustained bullet injuries was provided first-aid in INS Kochi and shifted for further treatment.
Other Missions
A sequence of assaults on commercial vessels has occurred, perpetrated by Houthi rebels in Yemen, both in the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea. The vessel Chem Pluto, carrying 21 Indian and 1 Vietnamese crew members, has reported an incident of projectile attack on December 23, approximately 217 nautical miles southwest of Porbandar. The Navy’s preliminary investigation suggests that the attack was carried out by a drone. The Indian Navy has announced that the ship will undergo compulsory inspections conducted by different inspecting authorities prior to engaging in Ship to Ship (STS) cargo transfer. Subsequently, the vessel is expected to proceed with docking and necessary repairs for the damaged section of MV Chem Pluto.
The Southern Red Sea witnessed an incident where the m.v. Sai Babo, a crude oil tanker flying the flag of Gabon and manned entirely by Indian crew members, was targeted by a one-way attack drone. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the vessel was en route to India at the time of the incident.
