India said Friday night it had evacuated 21 crew members, including 15 Indians, from a commercial ship in the North Arabian Sea that had been targeted by hijackers.
The rescue mission was mounted by an Indian warship. India has deployed several warships and reconnaissance aircraft in the Arabian Sea following a string of attacks on commercial ships that include hijacking attempts and drone and missile attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.
The Indian navy said in a statement that commandos boarded the Liberian-flagged MV Lila Norfolk carrier following a distress call saying the vessel had been boarded by five to six armed hijackers. The message had been sent to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors merchant shipping.
The ship’s crew had gathered in the ship’s citadel — a fortified section in commercial vehicles that is used as a refuge during attacks by pirates.
The Indian navy said no hijackers were found on board during a search by the commandos.
The "attempt of hijacking by pirates was probably abandoned with the forceful warning by the Indian navy," according to the navy statement. It said that all 21 crew members were "safely evacuated."
The navy said the Indian warship INS Chennai, which carried out the rescue mission, helped restore power generation so that the ship can carry on its voyage.
Hijacking of commercial ships by Somali pirates, which posed a huge challenge earlier, had declined hugely in recent years after the United States and other countries stepped up patrolling.
Experts say it is reemerging as a threat, though. They say hijackers have been encouraged as U.S. and other countries’ naval forces focus on thwarting attacks by Houthi rebels, who, since November, have targeted commercial ships with several drone and missile attacks in the Red Sea. The Iranian-backed Houthis claim to target Israeli-linked vessels in support of Palestinians in Gaza.
"The pirates are probably taking advantage of the disturbance in that area due to the Houthi attacks," Debesh Lahiri, executive director of the National Maritime Foundation told VOA. "This is something to watch out for. If left unchecked, this threat could become worse. That is why every responsible nation is deploying its assets in that area."
The growing attacks have prompted many shipping companies to reroute their vessels.
India increased surveillance in the waters after an India-bound commercial vessel carrying crude oil was targeted last month by a drone attack off the country’s west coast. Earlier a ship carrying mostly Indian crew members was targeted by hijackers in the Arabian Sea.
"The Indian navy remains committed to ensuring safety of merchant shipping in the region along with international partners and friendly foreign countries," the navy statement said.
However, India is not part of a security initiative put together by the United States to protect shipping routes. Along with France, Britain and several other countries, the U.S. launched Operation Prosperity Guardian in mid-December to protect ships from Houthi attacks.
"As you know, we have Indian navy ships patrolling the area. They are also keeping a watch on Indian ships there," Indian foreign ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal said Thursday. "So far, we are not part of any multilateral initiative in the area. We are looking at the unfolding situation very closely."
