The Indian Navy has sent its warship, INS Chennai, and and an aircraft to respond to a hijacking incident involving ‘MV Lila Norfolk’ in the Arabian Sea.
At least 15 Indian crew members were on board the Liberian-flagged vessel, which was hijacked near the Somalian coast.
The Incident
The carrier had sent distress messages on the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) portal after it was boarded by 5-6 unknown armed personnel in the evening on Thursday.
According to news agency ANI, the Indian Navy received the information that same evening.
The Navy said that it was responding swiftly to the developing situation.
“Indian Navy launched a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and has diverted INS Chennai deployed for Maritime Security Operations to assist the vessel,” it said in a statement.
INS Chennai is the largest ever warship to be built in India.
Indian Navy is closely monitoring a hijacked ship 'MV LILA NORFOLK' ship about which information was received last evening. There are 15 Indian crew on board the Liberian-flagged vessel which was hijacked near Somalia's coast. Indian Navy aircraft have been keeping a watch on the… pic.twitter.com/ca3o9zREE9
— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2024
The aircraft established communication with the vessel to ascertain the safety of the crew after flying over the ship early morning on 5 January.
The Navy revealed that the aircraft was monitoring the movement of the vessel.
Closely Monitoring the Situation
According to Hindustan Times, the vessel was sailing from Port Du Aco in Brazil and destined to reach Khalifa Bin Salman in Bahrain, when it was hijacked 300 nautical miles east of Somalia.
The Navy stated it is closely coordinating with other agencies and the Multi-National Force (MNF) in the area to monitor the situation.
In the release, it reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the safety of merchant shipping in the region along with international partners and friendly foreign countries.
Increased Maritime Surveillance
As the situation in the Red Sea and Arabian Sea deteriorates, with the safety of ships being compromised, the Indian Navy has amped up its maritime surveillance efforts.
India has been bearing the brunt of the precarious situation, with India-bound MV Ruen being hijacked by Somali Pirates in the Central Arabian Sea.
Earlier, MV Chem Pluto, with 20 Indians on board and MV Saibaba, with 25 Indian crew members, were attacked by drones in the Arabian Sea and Red Sea, respectively.
India has enhanced aerial surveillance in the region, using long-range maritime patrol aircraft and Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA).
Additionally, task groups composed of destroyers and frigates have been deployed to conduct maritime security operations and assist merchant vessels in case an incident occurs.
The vessel traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has been hit severely as the Yemen-based Houthi rebels have been attacking commercial ships passing through in retaliation for the Israeli bombardment of Gaza.
However, India is yet to join Operation Prosperity Guardian, an international mission launched by the US to step up patrols of the Red Sea and address the deteriorating situation, in any capacity.