Navy monitors hijacked ship near Somalia, 15 Indians on board
- Indian Navy closely monitoring hijacked ship 'MV LILA NORFOLK', with 15 Indian crew on board near Somalia's coast.
Indian Navy on Friday said it is closely monitoring a hijacked cargo ship ‘MV Lila Norfolk’. The ship has been hijacked late last evening near the coast of Somalia. As per an official, there are 15 Indian crew on board the Liberian-flagged vessel. “Indian Navy aircraft have been keeping a watch on the ship and communication has been established with the crew,” a military official said.
The ship sent a message on the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations portal saying five to six unknown armed personnel had boarded on the evening of 4 January, the Indian navy statement said.
An Indian warship, the INS Chennai, was diverted and deployed to assist the vessel, the statement said, adding that a naval aircraft overflew the hijacked vessel on Friday and had established contact with it.
“Naval aircraft continues to monitor movement and INS Chennai is closing the vessel to render assistance,” a Navy official told PTI news agency.
"The overall situation is being closely monitored, in coordination with other agencies in the area," he said.
"The Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring safety of merchant shipping in the region along with international partners and friendly foreign countries," he added.
Commander Mehul Karnik, a navy spokesperson told AP news agency that the crew members said they were in their strong room and were operating the vessel from there.
The Indian navy has increased its surveillance of the Arabian Sea after a recent spate of attacks in the region.
Earlier this week, the navy said it had investigated a large number of fishing vessels and boarded vessels of interest in the North and Central Arabian Sea.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault. There have been growing concerns about shipping in the region following attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels.
"India plays the role of a net security provider in the entire Indian Ocean region. We will ensure that maritime trade in this region rises from the sea to the heights of the sky," Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said last month of the increased surveillance in the region.
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First Published:5 Jan 2024, 10:53 AM IST
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