Indian Navy’s INS Tarkash intercepts hijacked Bangladeshi vessel

These efforts come amid global concerns over maritime security, particularly in the Red Sea, amidst ongoing conflicts.

Digital Desk: The Indian Navy responded to a distress call from a Bangladeshi cargo vessel hijacked off the Somali coast during its voyage from Mozambique to the United Arab Emirates. 

Upon receiving the alert on March 12, the Navy immediately deployed its offshore Long Range Maritime Patrol (LRMP) vessel, which located the hijacked merchant vessel, MV Abdullah, and attempted to establish communication with no success. 

The safety of the crew, held hostage by armed pirates, was ensured by the Indian Navy warship, which maintained its presence close to the vessel until it reached Somali territorial waters. This marks another instance of the Indian Navy's efforts in combating piracy in the Indian Ocean region, following recent incidents where assistance was provided to various merchant vessels. 

This includes foiling a piracy attempt on an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel and rescuing crew members from a Pakistani fishing vessel attacked by pirates along the East coast of Somalia. Additionally, the Indian Navy thwarted an attempted hijacking of a Liberian-flagged vessel in the North Arabian Sea earlier this year. 

These efforts come amid global concerns over maritime security, particularly in the Red Sea, amidst ongoing conflicts.