Indian Navy brings 9 pirates caught off Somalia to Mumbai, hands them over to police

NEW DELHI: All nine pirates involved in piracy were apprehended on Wednesday after Indian Navy ships INS Trishul and INS Sumedha conducted successful anti-piracy operations east of Somalia on 29 March. The operations resulted in the rescue of FV Al Kambar and its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals.

Robust actions by #IndianNavy ships Trishul & Sumedha during #antipiracy ops East of Somalia on #29Mar 24 had resulted in successful rescue of FV Al Kambar & its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals. All nine pirates involved in piracy were apprehended for further transit to India.… pic.twitter.com/YJyAlB7b0R

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) April 4, 2024

In an official post on X, the Indian Navy said, “Robust actions by #IndianNavy ships Trishul & Sumedha during #antipiracy ops East of Somalia on #29Mar 24 had resulted in the successful rescue of FV Al Kambar & its crew of 23 Pakistani nationals. All nine pirates involved in piracy were apprehended for further transit to India”.

“INS Trishul arrived in Mumbai on 3 April and handed over all nine pirates to the local police for further legal action by the Indian laws, specifically the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act 2022”, Indian Navy added.

Indian Navy reaffirms its resolve to safeguard all merchant shipping and seafarers transiting in IOR irrespective of their nationality.

On March 30, 23 Pakistani nationals were rescued from the clutches of Somali pirates during a daring 12-hour-long operation in the Arabian Sea, said the Indian Navy.

The rescue unfolded in the early hours of March 29, 2024, when the Indian Navy warship INS Sumedha intercepted the hijacked vessel, FV Al-Kambar, as it was being held captive by pirates. Acting swiftly, INS Sumedha was soon joined by the guided missile frigate INS Trishul to bolster the operation.

Utilising their tactical expertise and strategic coordination, Indian naval forces initiated negotiations with the pirates, compelling them to surrender without bloodshed.

Following the successful apprehension of the pirates, Indian Naval specialist teams embarked on the FV Al-Kambar to undertake thorough sanitisation and seaworthiness checks.

These meticulous examinations aim to ensure the vessel’s safety before escorting it to a secure area, enabling the resumption of normal fishing activities for its crew.

On March 29, the Indian Navy responded to a potential piracy attack on an Iranian fishing vessel in the Arabian Sea and diverted two naval ships to intercept the hijacked vessel.

The Indian Navy received input regarding a potential piracy incident onboard the Iranian fishing vessel ‘Al Kambar’.

Following this, two Indian Naval ships deployed in the Arabian Sea for maritime security operations were diverted to intercept the hijacked fishing vessel.

At the time of the incident, the Iranian vessel was approximately 90 km southwest of Socotra and was reported to have been boarded by nine armed pirates. The hijacked fishing vessel was intercepted on March 29.

“Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring maritime security in the region and safety of seafarers, irrespective of nationalities”, the statement added. (ANI)