The Indian Navy patrolling the Gulf of Aden on Thursday thwarted a multi-boat attack by sea brigands on merchant vessels, apprehending 26 Somali pirates and confiscating arms and ammunition, in the fifth successful anti-piracy operation since September.
At 9.25 a.m. on Thursday, navy personnel aboard warship INS Sukanya spotted a group of five suspicious boats speedily approaching the merchant vessels of her group.
“The warship immediately altered (its direction) towards the suspicious vessels and challenged them. On seeing the resolve evident in the warship’s action and probably mindful of the reputation for resolute action that the Indian Navy justly enjoys in such deployments, the pirate skiffs reversed course and tried to flee the area,” Captain Manohar Nambiar, Chief Public Relations Officer, Defence, said.
While two of them managed to escape, INS Sukanya successfully intercepted the remaining three boats and, in a well-practiced and professionally executed boarding-and-search action, nabbed 26 Somali pirates with six AK 47 rifles, 12 magazines and about 300 rounds of ammunition.
This is the fifth successful anti-piracy operation conducted by INS Sukanya in the course of her ongoing patrol mission in the Gulf of Aden that commenced in September, the Navy said.
INS Sukanya, currently deployed on anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden under the operational control of the Western Naval Command, was escorting a group of five merchant vessels through the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor when the incident happened.
The timely operation by INS Sukanya resulted, once again, in foiling the pirates’ attempt to attack merchant vessels transiting the busy sea lane through which over nearly $100 billion worth India’s external trade passes each year, Captain Nambiar said.
In their five operations so far, the personnel on board the warship have confiscated 14 AK-47 Rifles, 31 magazines and 923 rounds of ammunition, he said.
Indian Navy is part of the international effort to ensure the safety and freedom of seaborne trade in this high-risk stronghold of modern-day piracy.
