Indian Navy Frees 20 From Hijacked Vessel

Indian naval forces freed 20 crew members from the Iranian fishing boat Azini after a 48-hour operation. The vessel was hijacked off the coast of Somalia and recovered in the Arabian Sea.

The Azini was taken on Oct. 29 between Bandar Bayla and Hafun. A Puntland maritime police officer said the ship carried 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards at the time of the attack. Indian authorities confirmed the rescue of 20 individuals on Tuesday, noting a discrepancy in the headcount that remains unexplained.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh stated that the rescue was completed Monday, more than 3,000 kilometers from Mumbai. The operation involved a warship, a maritime surveillance aircraft, and marine commandos. An Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft airdropped additional commandos to assist in the mission. Indian forces tracked the vessel by sea and air before securing it. The ministry said they acted to prevent pirates from using the boat as a base for attacks on commercial ships.

An official with the Puntland Maritime Police Force said Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates. The officials confiscated the suspects' mobile phones and released them. The 12 suspects and two Somali security guards came ashore at Bandar Bayla in northeastern Somalia. Three individuals among the group sustained minor injuries, though the official did not specify which ones or how they were hurt. India's Defense Ministry reported no casualties or injuries during the operation.

The hijacking occurred during a resurgence of Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean. By August, pirates had seized six commercial vessels since April. These included the oil products tanker Sibu 1, taken about 252 kilometers east of al-Mukalla, Yemen. In September, Puntland authorities reported that pirates killed five crew members of the tanker MT Honour 25 before security forces recovered the ship held since April. Authorities detained 16 suspected pirates in that incident.

Regional authorities in Puntland learned of the Azini rescue only after it had been completed. The renewed piracy adds to shipping risks in a region already affected by the Iran war. Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and threats by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels against Saudi-linked shipping through Bab el-Mandeb have complicated oil transport routes. These disruptions have lengthened voyages and increased tanker costs. Some oil shipments diverted around Africa now face journeys up to a month longer.

International naval patrols have reduced Somali piracy over the past decade. Recent hijackings have renewed concerns about the threat to maritime security in the region.