Now, Navy frees vessel with 19 Pakistani fishermen

New Delhi, January 30

The Indian Navy, in two separate operations against pirates in the Arabian Sea, freed a fishing vessel with 19 Pakistani fishermen on board and coordinated the rescue of another fishing vessel by providing real-time surveillance inputs from UAV Sea Guardian.

Late-night op

• In a late-night operation in Arabian Sea, INS Sumitra rescued Iran-registered fishing vessel Al Naeemi and its 19 Pak crew members
• Eleven Somalian pirates were on board the vessel. In the past two days, there have been three operations against pirates by the Indian Navy

In two days, there have been three operations against pirates, two of them in the past 24 hours. The Indian Navy rescued the fishermen from the clutches of Somalian pirates. In a late-night operation in the Arabian Sea, INS Sumitra rescued Iran-registered fishing vessel Al Naeemi and its 19 crew members, all Pakistan nationals.

The operation was carried out east of Somalia in Africa around 1,600 km west of India, the Navy said on Tuesday morning. Eleven Somalian pirates were on board the vessel.

The Navy said on January 29, 19 crew members of Al Naeemi were taken hostage by the pirates. INS Sumitra intercepted the vessel. A helicopter was launched from the deck of the ship while fast boats were launched to transport marine commandos.

Navy men boarded Al Naeemi to sanitise it and to know the well-being of the crew who were held captive by the Somalian pirates.

In the second incident, the Navy coordinated a multi-nation response to the hijacking of a Sri Lankan fishing vessel, Lorenzo Putha 04.

The Navy provided technical expertise using its long-range predator UAVs to locate the vessel that was hijacked on January 27 nearly 1,750 km east of Mogadishu, Somalia. The spot was over 2,000 km south-east of Kochi, Kerala. Three pirates had boarded the fishing vessel.