India frees 20 crew from Iranian boat seized off Somalia
Indian forces tracked the vessel for two days before disarming 12 suspected pirates and recovering the Azini in the Arabian Sea.
By Allison Rojas ·
Indian naval forces recovered the Iranian fishing boat Azini and its 20 crew members from Somali pirates on Monday. The operation concluded in the Arabian Sea, a distance of more than 3,000 kilometers from Mumbai.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh announced the rescue on Tuesday. His office stated that the vessel had been seized on Oct. 29 between Bandar Bayla and Hafun. The Azini was hijacked in a region where pirate activity has increased this year.
The recovery effort lasted more than 48 hours. A warship, a maritime surveillance aircraft, and marine commandos participated in the mission. An Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft airdropped additional commandos to assist in securing the vessel.
A Puntland Maritime Police Force official told The Associated Press that Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates. The officials confiscated the suspects' mobile phones and released them. The 12 suspects and two Somali security guards later arrived on land at Bandar Bayla in northeastern Somalia.
Three individuals who came ashore had minor injuries. The official did not specify whether the injured were among the suspects or the security guards. Nor did he explain how the injuries occurred.
The Indian Defense Ministry reported that the operation ended without casualties or injuries. The ministry did not clarify if that assessment included the two security guards or only the Iranian crew. It was also unclear if the crew remained on the boat or were transferred to another location.
The Azini carried 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali guards at the time of the hijacking, according to a Puntland maritime police officer. India reported rescuing 20 people. The one-person difference in the crew count had not been explained as of Tuesday.
