Indian Navy rescues 20 crew from hijacked Iranian fishing vessel

Indian Navy Somali piracy Azini maritime security Iranian fishing vessel

The Indian Navy has successfully rescued the 20-member crew of the Azini, an Iranian fishing vessel hijacked by suspected Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia. The rescue operation lasted more than 48 hours in the Arabian Sea, occurring more than 3,000 kilometers from Mumbai.

According to Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, the operation involved a warship, a maritime surveillance aircraft, and marine commandos who were airdropped via an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft. Indian forces reportedly disarmed 12 suspected pirates and confiscated their mobile phones before releasing them. The Indian Ministry of Defense stated that the operation concluded without casualties or injuries to the crew.

The hijacking of the Azini raised concerns that the vessel could have been used as a mother ship to launch further attacks against commercial shipping. This incident highlights a resurgence of Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean, following a decade of significantly reduced activity due to international maritime patrols.

Entities

Azini · India · Indian Air Force · Indian Navy · Puntland Maritime Police Force · Rajnath Singh · Somalia

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] Pirates hijacked six commercial vessels between April and August. www.brif.mk · www.politika.rs
[● 3 SOURCES] Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates and confiscated their mobile phones. www.brif.mk · www.arabnews.pk · www.politika.rs
[● 3 SOURCES] The Indian Ministry of Defense reported no casualties or injuries during the operation. www.brif.mk · theindianawaaz.com · www.politika.rs
[● 4 SOURCES] The operation took place in the Arabian Sea, more than 3,000 kilometers from Mumbai. www.brif.mk · www.arabnews.pk · wardheernews.com · www.politika.rs
[● 5 SOURCES] The rescue operation lasted more than 48 hours. www.brif.mk · www.arabnews.pk · theindianawaaz.com · wardheernews.com · www.politika.rs
[● 5 SOURCES] The Indian Navy rescued 20 crew members from the Iranian fishing vessel Azini. www.brif.mk · www.arabnews.pk · theindianawaaz.com · wardheernews.com · www.politika.rs
[● 3 SOURCES] Marine commandos were airdropped into the operation via an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft. www.brif.mk · theindianawaaz.com · www.politika.rs
[● 3 SOURCES] In September, pirates killed five crew members of the tanker MT Honour 25. www.brif.mk · www.arabnews.pk · www.politika.rs