Somali pirates resumed hijacking of merchant ships in December after an extended hiatus of six years. Crew members on Liberia-flagged bulk carrier MV Lila Norfolk sent a message to UKMTO, an organization that monitors merchant shipping, informing them that five or six unidentified armed individuals had boarded the vessel.
INS Chennai diverted from its anti-piracy patrol and intercepted a vessel carrying merchant goods, where naval commandos (MARCOS) present on board had boarded to conduct sanitization processes on board.
What happened?
Indian navy commandos successfully conducted sanitization operations and verified there were no pirates present aboard an illegally hijacked cargo ship off Somalia on Thursday after receiving an alert signal. A warship and maritime patrol aircraft quickly responded after receiving this distress signal; 15 Indian nationals aboard and 21 total onboard (14 were Indian). Navy commandos conducted their sanitization procedures and confirmed there were no pirates present, according to official statements issued by Indian naval authorities.
Liberian-flagged MV Lila Norfolk was hijacked in the northern Arabian Sea about 460 nautical miles east of Eyl, Somalia by five to six armed men when it was taken hostage in November 2012. But their attempt at seizing control likely faltered after an alert Indian P-8I patrol aircraft gave a forceful warning and the 7,500-tonne guided missile destroyer INS Chennai interception intercepted their attempts, according to official statements.
Indian naval warships arrived at the hijacked vessel Friday morning and ordered their elite Marine Commandos to board, according to a statement released by the Navy. Pirates were forced off of the ship along with its cargo of fuel, oil and other chemicals; and it now drifts off Somalia’s coastline.
Who hijacked the ship?
Indian Navy commandos on Friday stormed a Liberian cargo ship in the north Arabian Sea that had been taken over by Somali pirates and reported on UKMTO portal, intimating that five to six individuals with weapons boarded it on Thursday evening and locked themselves away in a safe room ensuing standard operating procedure; but Indian Navy commandos have since boarded and confirmed there were no pirates present on board after conducting a citadel sanitization procedure to confirm they had left without incident
This hijacking attempt served as a stark reminder that piracy remains a risk in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea even after nearly 10 years of calm; it happened nearly 300 nautical miles east of Somalia.
The Navy deployed maritime patrol aircraft and Predator MQ9B drones to keep an eye on the situation, redirected INS Chennai (which had been conducting maritime Security Operations), to assist and establish communication with the vessel before moving it towards safe anchorage.
How did the ship get hijacked?
Somali pirates appear to have returned after six-years of inactivity, seizing a Liberian-flagged cargo vessel off Somalia on Thursday evening and issuing a distress call according to maritime intelligence portal operated by the United Kingdom. Five to six unknown armed individuals had boarded bulk carrier MV Lila Norfolk before sending its distress call, said maritime intelligence portal operator UK MI4.
The navy deployed its warship INS Chennai along with maritime patrol aircraft and Predator MQ-9B drones to monitor MV Lila Norfolk’s movements, diverting from an anti-piracy patrol and intercepting it at one point en route. All 21 crew members including 15 Indians have been found safe. Navy commandos are currently conducting “sanitization” operations on it according to its statement.
The incident comes amid an increase in hijackings in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. Shipping companies have had to use longer routes as they try to avoid missile strikes by Yemen’s Houthis militiamen backed by Iran.
What happened to the crew?
All 21 crew members on board, including 15 Indians, were safely evacuated from the citadel (the ship’s fortified area) by naval commandos who conducted a sanitization to confirm there were no pirates onboard and are keeping an eye on developments according to an official statement issued by them.
This hijacking raised concerns of an upsurge in piracy activity across the region as ships chart longer routes to avoid missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. Somali piracy peaked between 2010 and 2015 but attacks have since decreased substantially.
The Navy responded swiftly and appropriately when an alert on the UKMTO portal indicated a Liberian vessel had been boarded by five or six unknown armed personnel on Thursday evening, using aircraft overflew early Friday and established contact with its crew, to ascertain their safety, as well as diverting INS Chennai, deployed for maritime security operations in north Arabian Sea, in order to assist.
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