Indian Navy Rescues 20 Crew from Hijacked Vessel off Somalia

The Indian Navy completed a 48-hour operation on November 2 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 around October 29-30 between Bandar Bayla and Hafun. Officials assessed it as a potential mother ship for further attacks on merchant shipping in the region.

A mission-deployed warship, supported by a maritime reconnaissance aircraft, located and tracked the Azini. Calibrated non-kinetic measures contained the vessel and prevented escape. Marine commandos were then airdropped by an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft for the final intervention.

The commandos secured the vessel and neutralised the pirate threat without casualties or injuries among the crew. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh congratulated the forces, noting the operation took place more than 3,000 km from Mumbai.

A Puntland Maritime Police Force official said Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates. The suspects and two Somali security guards later came ashore at Bandar Bayla.

Iran's embassy in New Delhi expressed thanks to India for the rescue. The operation demonstrated coordination between the Navy and Air Force in the Indian Ocean Region.

Somali piracy has seen a recent uptick after years of relative decline. The successful interdiction reinforces India's role as a first responder for seafarers and commercial shipping in the area.

The Azini was carrying mostly Iranian crew. Discrepancies in early reports about the exact number of people on board were resolved by the Navy's confirmation of 20 rescued without harm.

The Ministry of Defence released a statement on November 3 confirming the outcome and highlighting the seamless inter-service effort.