Indian commandos retake hijacked Iranian fishing vessel off Somalia
NEW DELHI: Indian naval commandos parachuted onto a hijacked Iranian fishing boat off Somalia and freed all 20 crew members from armed pirates, the navy said Tuesday, as Somali piracy records its strongest resurgence in more than a decade. At least 15 attacks have been reported since April, the highest number since 2013.
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The vessel, named Azini, was seized on Oct 29 off the Somali coast between the towns of Bandar Beyla and Xaafun, in the semi-autonomous Puntland State region, according to an alert issued by the EU’s Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean (MSCIO).
Indian authorities feared the boat could serve as a “mother ship” for launching additional attacks on merchant vessels, the navy said in a statement.
A warship and a maritime reconnaissance aircraft tracked Azini before marine commandos parachuted onto the vessel to conduct the rescue operation, the navy said.
“The Indian Navy secured the vessel, overcame the pirate threat and ensured safe release of all 20 crew members,” the statement added.
Azini was the third Iranian fishing boat hijacked off Somalia since July.
