The Indian Navy is actively observing a vessel seized yesterday in the vicinity of Somalia’s coastline, as confirmed by military authorities on Friday. According to officials, the ship ‘MV LILA NORFOLK,’ flying the Liberian flag and carrying 15 Indian crew members, was hijacked near Somalia, as reported by news agency ANI.
According to the officials, Indian Navy aircraft have been deployed to keep a vigilant watch on the hijacked ship’s movements. Communication has been successfully established with the vessel, providing a crucial link to assess the situation and safety of the crew on board.
“The vessel had sent a message on the UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations) portal, indicating boarding by approximately five to six unknown armed personnel on the evening of January 4, 2024,” the Indian Navy said in a statement.
Indian warship INS Chennai is moving towards the hijacked vessel to tackle the situation, the navy added.
“Naval aircraft continues to monitor movement and INS Chennai is closing the vessel to render assistance. The overall situation is being closely monitored, in coordination with other agencies/ MNF in the area,” the statement read.
Also Read: FinTech funding in India dropped by 63% in 2023: Report
Hijacking of Maltese-flagged Ship in Arabian Sea Raises Maritime Security Concerns
The hijacking incident occurred days after a Maltese-flagged merchant vessel was seized by unknown attackers in the Arabian Sea, putting piracy in the back in the spotlight. The vessel had indicated that six ‘pirates’ had illegally boarded it.
Also Read: ICC On Stumping And Concussion Substitute
The Indian Navy evacuated one of the 18 crew members, a Bulgarian national, aboard the hijacked cargo vessel to provide medical care after he was injured by the pirates. The sailor was evacuated by the frontline ship INS Kochi.
Pirate attacks in the region peaked between 2008 and 2013 but steadily declined thereafter because of the concerted efforts of the multi-national maritime task force including the Indian Navy.
Also Read: Gautam Adani overtakes Mukesh Ambani as India’s richest man
1 thought on “Liberian-Flagged Ship With Indian Crew Members Hijacked Off Somalia’s Coast”