In the Arabian Sea, an Indian Navy warship was moving toward a hijacked Liberian-flagged vessel, and aircraft were closely monitoring the situation, the Indian navy said on Friday.
According to Indian news agency ANI, in which Reuters holds a minority stake, at least 15 Indian crew members were on board the MV Lila Norfolk, which was hijacked near Somalia’s coast. It was reported that five to six unknown armed personnel boarded the ship on the evening of Jan. 4, according to a statement from the Indian Navy.
Cargo Ship with 15 Indians on board hijacked near Somalia, Indian Navy keeping a close watch
A naval aircraft overflew the hijacked vessel on Friday and established contact with it, according to the statement. The INS Chennai was diverted and deployed to assist the vessel, the statement said. After a recent spate of attacks in the region, the Indian navy has increased its surveillance of the Arabian Sea.
It was announced earlier this week that the navy had investigated a large number of fishing vessels and boarded vessels of interest in the North and Central Arabian Seas. The Indian Ocean region is a critical component of India’s role as a net security provider. We aim to ensure that maritime trade in this region rises from the sea to the skies,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said last month.
