All six crew members are protected, the Navy mentioned. (File)
Indian Navy has helped in rescuing a Sri Lankan fishing trawler from pirates off the Somalian coast, officers mentioned on Tuesday, thwarting a 3rd hijacking try within the final three days. The vessel was lastly intercepted in Seychelles by their coast guard with the assistance of inputs from the Indian Navy. All six crew members are protected and their vessel is being escorted to Mahe in Seychelles, the Navy mentioned.
Lorenzo Putha 04, a Sri Lankan flagged vessel, was hijacked by three pirates off the Mogadishu coast on Saturday. In response, Indian Navy deployed its patrol vessel INS Sharada and despatched Sea Guardian drones to find the hijacked vessel.
The trawler was intercepted by Seychelles Coast Guard on Monday following coordination and data sharing by the Sri Lanka and Seychelles liaison officers, mentioned the Navy.
”In a coordinated multilateral response to the hijacking of a Sri Lankan fishing vessel, the Indian Navy in collaboration with Seychelles Defence Forces and Sri Lanka Navy efficiently intercepted and rescued the hijacked vessel,” they mentioned.
There was an increase in assaults on ships and hijackings since Israel-Hamas conflict started. Somalian waters and surrounding areas have a troubled historical past of piracy, together with in Gulf of Aden and the Somali Sea.
The Indian Navy had responded to 2 different hijacking makes an attempt off the Somalian coast since final weekend.
On Monday, Indian warship INS Sumitra rescued 19 Pakistani sailors from 11 pirates who had hijacked their fishing vessel – FV Al Naeemi – off the east coast of Somalia and brought the crew hostage.
The earlier evening, INS Sumitra responded to a misery name from one other Iranian-flagged fishing vessel – FV Iman – that was hijacked by pirates in the identical area, and ensured the protected launch of 17 crew members.
Final Sunday, one other Indian warship INS Visakhapatnam helped extinguish an enormous fireplace on board a service provider vessel that was struck by a missile within the Gulf of Aden the earlier evening.