India navy reported on Friday that it successfully rescued 21 crew members from a vessel in the Arabian Sea following a distress call related to a hijacking, marking the most recent incident of piracy targeting commercial shipping in the region. In response to a series of recent attacks on shipping, including a drone strike near India’s coast attributed to Iran by the United States, the Indian navy had deployed several warships to the area last month to maintain a deterrent presence.
This development occurs amid a trend of vessels being rerouted from the Red Sea due to drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. These attacks are carried out in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is engaged in conflict with the Hamas terror group.
India’s navy announced on Friday that it successfully rescued 21 crew members from a vessel in the Arabian Sea following a distress call related to a hijacking, marking the latest incident of piracy targeting commercial shipping in the region.
In response to a series of recent shipping attacks, including a drone strike near India’s coast, which the United States has attributed to Iran, the navy deployed several warships into the sea last month to “maintain a deterrent presence.”
This development occurs at a time when numerous vessels are being rerouted from the Red Sea due to drone and missile attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. These attacks are carried out in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, where Israel is engaged in conflict with the Hamas terror group.
It’s worth noting that regardless of the flag under which ships sail or the nationality of their owners or operators, vessels bound for Israel are declared by the Houthis as “legitimate targets for our armed forces.” It’s also important to mention that India is not part of a US-led Red Sea task force formed recently to counter Houthi attacks in that region. India navy reported
In a statement released on Friday, the navy confirmed the successful evacuation of all 21 crew members from the MV Lila Norfolk. This included 15 Indian nationals who were safely removed from the ship’s citadel, a fortified section of commercial vessels designated as a refuge during pirate attacks.