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Indian Navy rescue of hijacked Iranian vessel Azini

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2026-11-03 17:53 UTC → 2026-11-03 21:12 UTC · added ~~removed~~

On October 29, the Iranian fishing vessel Azini was hijacked by approximately 12 armed Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea, near the northeastern coast of Somalia between Bandar Bayla and Hafun. Authorities expressed concern that the vessel could be utilized as a “mother ship” to facilitate further attacks on commercial shipping lanes. Following a 48 hour operation, the Indian Navy successfully rescued all 20 crew members. The mission, conducted over 3,000 km from Mumbai, involved the warship INS Kolkata, maritime reconnaissance assets including a P-8I aircraft and a Sea Guardian drone, and an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft. The C-17 performed a precision airdrop of MARCOS commandos to secure the vessel. The operation concluded without casualties or injuries to the rescued crew. According to a Puntland maritime police official, Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates and confiscated their mobile phones. The suspects and two Somali security guards were brought ashore at Bandar Bayla. Defense Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed the rescue took place more than 3,000 kilometers from Mumbai. The incident has highlighted a resurgence of Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the western Indian Ocean, a region that had seen significantly reduced activity over the last decade. This trend follows several other hijackings between April and August, including the seizure of the oil tanker Sibu 1.

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