Indian Navy Rescues 20 Crew from Hijacked Vessel off Somalia

The Indian Navy completed a rescue of the hijacked fishing vessel Azini off the north-eastern coast of Somalia. All 20 crew members were freed without casualties or injuries. The operation spanned more than 48 hours and involved a mission-deployed warship, maritime reconnaissance aircraft and an airdrop of marine commandos from an Indian Air Force C-17 transport.

The vessel had been seized by an armed pirate group earlier in October 2026. Naval officials assessed it could be used as a mother ship to launch further attacks on merchant shipping in the region. A warship and aircraft located the vessel after persistent surveillance. Non-kinetic measures contained its movement and prevented escape. Marine commandos then conducted a precision airdrop and tactical intervention to secure the ship and neutralise the pirate threat.

Most of the crew were Iranian nationals. The Navy statement issued on November 3 described the outcome as evidence of operational preparedness and inter-service coordination. India has positioned itself as a first responder and preferred security partner in the Indian Ocean Region for such incidents. The successful boarding without casualties is consistent with prior Navy anti-piracy actions in the same waters.

Piracy off Somalia declined after international naval patrols intensified in the late 2000s and early 2010s, but occasional seizures of fishing vessels continue. A mother ship can extend the range of smaller attack craft. The Indian response followed standard patterns: locate, contain, then board with specialised commandos. The C-17 airdrop allowed rapid insertion of the marine unit once the vessel was fixed in position.

No injuries were reported among the crew or the boarding party. The pirates were overcome and the vessel secured. Details on the number of pirates detained or their subsequent handling were not released in the initial statement. The operation reinforces the Navy’s ability to act at distance from Indian bases when shipping lanes are threatened.

Merchant vessels and fishing boats from several countries transit the area. The Navy maintains a presence under its mission-based deployments. Coordination with the Air Force for the airdrop shows the joint procedures used for time-sensitive boardings. The safe release of all 20 crew members closes the immediate incident.

Further information on the vessel’s cargo, the precise location of the boarding and any follow-on prosecutions will come from official channels. The Navy’s public account focuses on the successful outcome and the absence of harm to the civilians on board. Similar operations have occurred in recent years; this one adds a documented airdrop component.