New Delhi, Jan 30: Indian Naval Ship Sumitra, having thwarted the pirate attempt on FV Iman, has carried out yet another successful anti-piracy operation off the East Coast of Somalia, rescuing fishing vessel Al Naeemi and her crew (19 Pakistani nationals) from 11 Somali pirates.

INS Sumitra, the Indian Navy’s indigenous offshore patrol vessel, had been deployed for anti-piracy and maritime security operations east of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden. The warship on January 28 responded to a distress message regarding the hijacking of an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel (FV) Iman, which had been boarded by pirates and the crew taken as hostages. The FV was intercepted by INS Sumitra, and following the SOPs and coercive posturing, the vessel and her crew (17 Iranian nationals) were safely rescued in the early hours of January 29. FV Iman was sanitised and released for onward transit.

Subsequently, INS Sumitra was again pressed into action to locate and intercept another Iranian-flagged fishing vessel, Al Naeemi, which had been boarded by pirates and her crew (19 Pakistani nationals) taken hostage. Responding swiftly to the developing situation, Sumitra intercepted the FV on January 29 and, through coercive posturing and effective deployment of her integral helo and boats, compelled the safe release of the crew and the vessel. The ship also undertook confirmatory boarding to sanitise and check on the well-being of the crew who were held captive by the Somali pirates.

INS Sumitra, over the course of less than 36 hours, through swift, persistent, and relentless efforts, has rescued two hijacked fishing vessels along with 36 crew members (17 Iranian and 19 Pakistani) in the southern Arabian Sea, approximately 850 nm west of Kochi, and prevented the misuse of these fishing vessels as mother ships for further acts of piracy on merchant vessels.

The Indian Navy has once again proved its commitment in the region to act against all maritime threats in order to ensure the safety of all mariners and vessels at sea.

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