The crew comprising 23 Pakistani nationals, thanked the Indian Navy and raised 'India Zindabad' slogans on Saturday after the Indian Navy’s specialist team protected them from nine armed pirates, and completed sanitisation and seaworthiness checks of FV Al-Kambar. The crew was given a thorough medical checkup prior to clearing the boat to continue with fishing activities.
The Indian Navy has freed an Iranian fishing vessel that was hijacked by pirates and rescued the crew, following "intense coercive tactical measures" as part of an anti-piracy operation at sea that lasted for more than 12 hours, officials said.
Following Friday's operation, specialist teams from the Navy undertook a thorough sanitisation and seaworthiness check of the fishing vessel in order to escort it to a safe area for resuming normal fishing activities, according to an official statement shared by a Navy spokesperson.
On Friday, the Navy said that it was engaged in an operation to free the fishing vessel from pirates. Nine armed pirates had reportedly boarded the vessel. The hijacked vessel was intercepted on Thursday, the Navy said. "INS Sumedha intercepted FV 'Al Kambar' during early hours of Friday and was joined subsequently by the guided missile frigate INS Trishul," it said.
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"After more than 12 hours of intense coercive tactical measures as per the SOPs, the pirates on board the hijacked fishing vessel were forced to surrender. The crew, comprising 23 Pakistani nationals, have been safely rescued," the Navy further stated. The fishing vessel was approximately 90 nm (nautical miles) southwest of Socotra when the pirates reportedly boarded it, it said.
The Indian Navy said it remains committed to ensuring maritime security in the region and the safety of seafarers, "irrespective of the nationalities". The Socotra Archipelago is in the northwest Indian Ocean near the Gulf of Aden.