Indian Navy Rescues 20 Crew from Hijacked Fishing Vessel Off Somalia
Marine commandos airdropped from an IAF C-17 to secure the Iranian vessel Azini after more than 48 hours of surveillance and containment, with no casualties reported.
New Delhi1 min read
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The Indian Navy completed a 48-hour operation on November 2, 2026, that freed the Iranian fishing vessel Azini and its 20 crew members from armed pirates off the northeastern coast of Somalia.
The vessel had been hijacked earlier in the month, with reports placing the seizure between Bandar Bayla and Hafun. Authorities assessed the risk that the boat could serve as a mother ship for further attacks on merchant traffic in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. A mission-deployed warship, supported by a maritime reconnaissance aircraft, located and tracked the Azini after sustained surveillance. The platforms used calibrated non-kinetic measures to contain the vessel and prevent its escape.
Marine Commandos were then inducted by precision airdrop from an Indian Air Force C-17 transport aircraft. The commandos executed a tactical intervention, secured the vessel and neutralised the pirate threat. All 20 crew members, mostly Iranian nationals, were rescued without casualties or injuries. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the force and noted the operation took place more than 3,000 km from Mumbai.
A Puntland Maritime Police Force official told the Associated Press that Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates, confiscated their phones and released them. The suspects and two Somali security guards later came ashore at Bandar Bayla. The Iranian Embassy in New Delhi thanked the Indian government, Navy and Air Force for the rescue.
The Press Information Bureau described the action as evidence of the Navy’s ability to conduct complex maritime security missions through inter-service coordination. India has positioned itself as a first responder and preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region for the protection of seafarers and trade routes. The successful containment of a potential mother ship reduces the immediate risk of expanded pirate activity in the area.
The operation required close timing between surface assets, aerial surveillance and special forces insertion. No injuries occurred among the crew or the intervening personnel. Details of the warship involved were not formally released beyond the mission-deployed description.
