[In brief] Merchant ship hijacked in Arabian Sea freed by Indian Navy (v2)
(B2) The alert arrived at the maritime crisis center on the evening of January 4: five to six unknown armed members boarded the Lila Norfolk, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier.
The incident arisesn the middle of the Indian Ocean, near Eyl, in Puntland. But more than 460 nautical miles from the Somali coast.
Aerial reconnaissance
The Indian Navy reacted quickly. Aerial reconnaissance is carried out continuously using a Sea Guardian MQ9B drone, a P8I maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters from the guided-missile destroyer. INS Chennai, arrived on site, Thursday (January 8) at 15:15 p.m. local time.
Liberation by Indian Navy
Indian naval commandos intervened, boarded the hijacked ship, thoroughly searching the upper decks, engine compartments and living spaces, a navy statement said. No pirates are on board anymore.« They had to escape in the night » says New Delhi.
Under escort
The 21 crew members of the MV Lila Norfolk are safe and sound and have begun to take control of the vessel, “restoring propulsion, electrical power and rudder”. The merchant ship should “resume its journey to its destination under escort” of Indian warships, the press release said.
(updated) More ships captured near Somali coast
In the process, two fishing vessels, the Al-Andalus and another, were captured on January 13 near Eyl in Somalia, 08°19 North and 050°10 East. A few days later, on January 18, it was the turn of Al Jabar, off the coast of Dibouti, 11°58 North and 45°07 East.
(NGV)
(Updated) capture of fishing vessels.
Read also: [In brief] Yemeni fishing vessel hijacked by pirates
