In a recent incident, the Bharatiya Navy swiftly responded to a piracy attack on the Bangladesh-flagged MV Abdullah, a merchant vessel en route to the UAE from Mozambique. However, their intervention was hindered as the armed pirates had already taken the crew hostage.
The pirates rerouted the hijacked vessel to the territorial waters of Somalia, evading the initial response of the Bharatiya Navy. The Navy’s first action involved dispatching a P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft upon receiving the distress call. Despite locating MV Abdullah, attempts to establish communication with the crew were unsuccessful.
Following this, the Bharatiya warship INS Tarkash intercepted the hijacked vessel upon its arrival in the vicinity. However, the Navy refrained from direct intervention to avoid potential casualties among the crew. Instead, they closely monitored the situation until the vessel reached Somalia’s territorial waters.
The safety of the vessel’s crew, comprised entirely of Bangladeshi nationals, was confirmed by Indian authorities. Despite their inability to intervene directly, the Navy maintained a vigilant presence in the area to ensure the safety of the crew throughout the ordeal.
Instances of piracy in the region often involve ransom negotiations between the vessel owners and the pirates. In previous incidents, where pirates were not in direct control of the hijacked vessels’ crews, they fled upon encountering Bharatiya naval vessels and aircraft.
In the event of apprehension, pirates are disarmed and set adrift on their boats to prevent further threats to maritime traffic in the area. Such measures are part of the Bharatiya Navy’s efforts to combat piracy and ensure the safety of international shipping lanes.
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