NEW DELHI: The Indian Navy announced in an official statement that on Monday, the warship INS Sumitra of the Indian Navy successfully rescued 19 Pakistani nationals after foiling a plot to steal the Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Al Naeemi, which was cruising off the East Coast of Somalia. Following the rescue of another Iranian-flagged fishing vessel, FV Iman, from Somali pirates on Monday during anti-piracy operations along the east coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, an official statement said that this is the Indian Navy’s second rescue operation in as many days. FV Iman had 17 crew members on board. The Indian Navy said that the cruiser INS Sumitra saved the hostages of 19 Pakistani nationals on board the fishing vessel after it was intercepted by pirates and action was taken to locate the stricken vessel. The warship achieved the successful release of all 19 crew members and the boat by acting in accordance with the set SOPs to persuade the pirates for the crew’s safe release. The ship then carried out confirmatory boarding in order to clean up and ensure the crew members who were being taken captive by the Somali pirates were safe. “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 Navy said in a statement.
