How Indian Navy's daring rescue missions unfolded over the past month

The Indian Navy has been actively engaged in safeguarding maritime security and has over time ramped up its efforts in this direction (Image: @indiannavy/X)

The Indian Navy, on January 30, said its warship INS Sumitra carried out another successful anti-piracy operation off the East Coast of Somalia and rescued an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel, Al Naeemi, carrying 19 Pakistani nationals that was hijacked.

This was the Indian Navy's second rescue operation within a span of 24 hours after having rescued another Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Iman from Somalian pirates the day before.

The Indian Navy has been actively engaged in safeguarding maritime security and has, over time, ramped up its efforts in this direction. INS Sumitra, for instance, has been deployed for anti-piracy and maritime security operations in the east of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden.

"INS Sumitra, over the course of less than 36 hours, through swift, persistent and relentless efforts has rescued two hijacked fishing vessels along with 36 crew (17 Iranian and 19 Pakistani) in Southern Arabian Sea approximately 850 nm West of Kochi, and prevented misuse of these fishing vessels as mother ships for further acts of piracy on merchant vessels," the Indian Navy noted in an official statement.

The slew of recent maritime security operations conducted by the Indian Navy are a reflection of how it has stepped up its surveillance.

Here's a look at Indian Navy's endeavours over the last month:

1. The Indian Navy said it rescued fishing vessel Al Naeemi sailing off the East Coast of Somalia and successfully managed to rescue 19 Pakistani nationals from 11 Somali Pirates on January 29.

2. Prior to this, on January 28 night, the Indian Naval ship Sumitra safely rescued the Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Iman, which had 17 crew members onboard in its anti-piracy operations along the East Coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden.

3. Indian Navy's guided missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam deployed in the Gulf of Aden responded to a distress call from the British oil tanker MV Marlin Luanda. A fire-fighting team from INS Visakhapatnam comprising 10 Indian Naval personnel with specialist fire-fighting equipment embarked on the vessel in the early hours of January 27.

After six hours of battling the fire along with the crew of the MV, the fire fighting team successfully brought the fire under control. The MV had 22 Indian and 1 Bangladeshi crew onboard.

4. INS Visakhapatnam responded to a distress call by Marshall Island flagged MV Genco Picardy following a drone attack on January 17.

"INS Visakhapatnam, undertaking anti piracy patrol in Gulf of Aden, acknowledged the distress call and intercepted the vessels at 0030 hrs on January 18, 2024 in order to provide assistance. MV Genco Picardy with 22 crew (9 Indian) reported nil casualties and fire under control," an official statement by Indian Navy said.

5. 21 crew members including 15 Indian nationals from the hijacked vessel MV Lila Norfolk off Somalia coast were safely evacuated by Indian Navy on January 5.