Indian Navy Frees Hijacked Iranian Fishing Vessel Azini off Somalia
The Indian Navy has freed the Iranian fishing vessel Azini, which was hijacked by Somali pirates, in an operation in the Arabian Sea more than 3,000 km from Mumbai. Armed pirates seized the boat on 29 October between the coastal towns of Bandar Bayla and Hafun, off the Puntland region of north-eastern Somalia, where the Horn of Africa meets the Indian Ocean.
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced the result on 2 November. He described it as a “meticulously coordinated 48-hour operation” carried out with support from the Indian Air Force. According to his statement, the Navy located and intercepted the vessel and secured the safe release of its 20 crew members. Puntland officials had earlier said 23 people were on board, including 21 Iranian crew and two Somali security guards. The first reports did not explain the difference in numbers.
Local officials said eight armed men first boarded the Azini and overpowered the guards, and four more pirates joined them later. European naval forces had warned that the hijacked boat could be used as a mothership to attack merchant ships, and on 2 November it was reported to be moving towards the shipping lane. The Azini is the third Iranian fishing vessel hijacked off Somalia since July, as piracy in the region has picked up again this year.
The rescue shows that the Indian Navy can respond quickly far from India’s coast. Many Indian seafarers sail through these waters, and they are better protected when naval forces act quickly against pirate groups before those groups can attack larger ships.
Crews passing the Somali coast and the Arabian Sea should keep strict piracy watches, follow the latest Best Management Practices and report any suspicious small craft or fishing vessels to the maritime security centres in the region.
