Indian Navy rescues hijacked Iranian fishing vessel off Somalia coast

• In a swift operation that lasted for over 48 hours, the Indian Navy rescued an Iranian fishing vessel with 20 crew members off the coast of Somalia weeks after it was hijacked by pirates.

• The vessel, Azini, was hijacked by an armed pirate group in October.

• The operation culminated in the safe rescue of all 20 crew members, with no casualties or injuries.

• The hijacking represented a “significant maritime security threat”, with the possibility of the vessel being employed as a “mother ship” to launch further attacks against merchant shipping in the region.

• Responding to the situation, the Indian Navy tasked a mission-deployed warship to intervene, supported by a maritime reconnaissance aircraft.

• Working in close coordination, these platforms located the vessel after persistent surveillance, tracked its movements and employed calibrated non-kinetic measures to contain its movement and prevent its escape.

• Marine commandos were deployed through a precision airdrop by an Indian Air Force (IAF) C-17 aircraft.

• Executing a swift and well-coordinated tactical intervention, the Indian Navy secured the vessel, overcame the pirate threat and ensured safe release of all 20 crew members.

• The successful operation underscores India’s unwavering commitment to remaining first responder and preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region.