Armed Hijackers Seize Liberian Ship With 15 Indian Crew In Arabian Sea, Indian Navy Launches Rescue Operation

New Delhi: Around 15 Indian crew members are in grave danger as their Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, ‘MV Lila Norfolk’, has been hijacked by around five-six armed hijackers in the Arabian Sea, officials confirmed here on Friday. The hijacked ship had sent a distress signal on UKMTP portal indicating that around 5-6 armed hijackers had boarded the ship late on Thursday night. The Indian Navy swiftly reacted to the SOS and deployed an MPA (Maritime Patrol Aircraft) and diverted its warship INS Chennai to help the troubled vessel, near the east coast of Somalia.

The naval aircraft are keeping a close watch on the movement of the ship as the INS Chennai is nearing the vessel, and the overall situation is being monitored closely in coordination with other agencies/MNF (Multi-National Forces) in the region.

Third Incident On India's West Coast 

This is the third incident of this nature in the high seas on the country’s west coast in the past one month or with the Indian Navy stepping up to the challenge with a rescue and relief operation. In the previous two incidents, the Indian Navy had successfully foiled the attempts of pirates to attack Indian fishing boats and merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.