The Indian Navy says it has freed the crews of two fishing boats from Somali pirates within 36 hours.
Quick reply #IndianNavy‘s Mission Deployed warship ensures the safe release of hijacked ship and crew.#INSSumitraon #Antipiracy operations along the east coast of #Somalia & #The Gulf of Adenresponded to an emergency message about the hijacking of an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel (FV)… pic.twitter.com/AQTkcTJvQo
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) January 29, 2024
Both ships were sailing under the Iranian flag in the Arabian Sea, the navy said on Tuesday. This prevented the pirates from using the hijacked boats for further attacks on merchant ships.
Somalia is located in the Horn of Africa, opposite Yemen. The dangers in the region have increased sharply. Since the start of the Gaza war, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have repeatedly attacked ships in the Red Sea to prevent them from sailing to Israel. The Red Sea is considered one of the most important shipping lanes for world trade as it connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Indian Ocean via the Suez Canal in Egypt. The Indian Navy recently increased its presence in the region following the attacks.
After the latest pirate attacks, the Indian warship “Sumitra” initially responded to a distress call from the fishing boat “Iman” on Sunday. The 17 Iranian crew members were rescued early Monday morning. The 19 Pakistani crew members of the “Al Naeemi” were later released. (saw/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
