Indian Navy Frees 20 Crew From Iranian Boat Hijacked Off Somalia

Indian naval forces have recovered an Iranian fishing vessel and its 20 crew members from Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea.

The Defense Ministry announced the conclusion of the operation on Tuesday. The rescue took place Monday, more than 1,865 miles from Mumbai. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed the ship, named the Azini, was secured after a mission lasting over 48 hours.

The vessel was hijacked on Oct. 29 between the ports of Bandar Bayla and Hafun in northeastern Somalia. A Puntland Maritime Police Force officer said that Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected pirates. The pirates and two Somali security guards were released and later came ashore at Bandar Bayla. Three individuals sustained minor injuries during the exchange, though the official did not clarify if they were crew, guards, or suspects.

India deployed a warship, a maritime surveillance aircraft, and marine commandos for the raid. An Indian Air Force C-17 plane airdropped additional commandos to assist the team. The ministry stated the operation ended without casualties. It did not specify if that count included the released suspects or only the rescued crew.

Regional authorities in Puntland learned of the rescue only after it was completed. The official noted that a previous count of the crew included 21 Iranian members and two guards. The ministry’s figure of 20 crew members could not be immediately reconciled with that earlier tally.

The hijacking is part of a recent increase in Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean. Since April, pirates have seized six commercial vessels. This includes the oil tanker Sibu 1, taken 136 nautical miles east of al-Mukalla, Yemen, and the MT Honour 25. Security forces recovered the latter in September after pirates killed five crew members. They detained 16 suspects in that incident.

Shipping routes in the region face added pressure from the ongoing Iran war. Houthi threats against Saudi-linked ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait have forced some tankers to divert around Africa. These longer voyages have increased costs and extended travel times by up to a month for some shipments.

The next step involves the release of the 12 disarmed pirates and the two guards who came ashore in Bandar Bayla. The rescued crew remains on the vessel or has been moved, according to the ministry’s statement.