A cargo ship, ' MV LILA NORFOLK' a Liberian-flagged vessel, was hijacked last
evening near the coast of Somalia. The Indian Navy has rushed a warship towards it
in response to the distress call received, military officials said on Friday. The warship
INS Chennai belonging to the Indian Navy is moving towards the hijacked vessel to
tackle the situation.
Moreover, the Indian Navy aircraft have been keeping a watch on the ship.
15 Indians On Board The Hijacked Ship
As per sources, the hijacked ship has 15 Indians on board and communication has
been established with the crew. Military officials said the information about the ship
being hijacked off Somalia’s coast was received on Thursday evening.
A statement by the Indian Navy on Friday said it “responded swiftly to a maritime incident
in the Arabian Sea involving a hijacking attempt” of a bulk carrier ship. The ship sent a
message on the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations portal, saying five to six
unknown armed personnel had boarded on Thursday evening, according to the
statement.
At least 15 Indian crew members were on board the MV LILA NORFOLK, which was
hijacked near Somalia’s coast. The Indian Navy received information about it on
Thursday evening, Indian media reports said.
INS Chennai was immediately diverted and deployed to assist the hijacked vessel, the
navy statement said. Also, the naval aircraft that overflew the hijacked vessel on
Friday had established contact with it. Indian Navy said it “remains committed to
ensuring [the] safety of merchant shipping in the region along with international
partners and friendly foreign countries”.
The Indian Navy has increased its surveillance of the Arabian Sea after a recent
upsurge of attacks in the region. Earlier this week, the authorities said it had
investigated many fishing vessels and boarded vessels of interest in the north and
central Arabian Sea.
India Committed To Playing The Role Of A Security Provider In The
Region, Says Defence Minister
“India plays the role of a net security provider in the entire Indian Ocean region. We
will ensure that maritime trade in this region rises from the sea to the heights of the
sky,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said last month referring to the increased
surveillance in the region.
Bengali