INS Chennai moving towards hijacked vessel off Somalia coast; 15 Indians aboard

The ship MV Lila Norfolk was hijacked near Somalia's coast and the Indian Navy received information about it on Thursday evening.

The Indian Navy is closely monitoring the situation surrounding a hijacked merchant ship, which was reported last evening near Somalia's coast, military officials said on Friday. The Liberian-flagged ship ‘MV Lila Norfolk’ is believed to have 15 Indian crew members on board, reported ANI citing the officials.

15 Indian crew are on board the Liberian-flagged vessel which was hijacked near Somalia's coast.(lilaglobal / representational image)

The vessel, sailing from Port Du Aco in Brazil, was bound for Khalifa Bin Salman in Bahrain when it was hijacked by the pirates 300 nautical miles east of Somalia.

According to the officials, Indian Navy aircraft have been deployed to keep a vigilant watch on the hijacked ship's movements. Communication has been successfully established with the vessel, providing a crucial link to assess the situation and safety of the crew on board.

“The vessel had sent a message on the UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations) portal, indicating boarding by approximately five to six unknown armed personnel on the evening of January 4, 2024,” the Indian Navy said in a statement.

Indian warship INS Chennai is moving towards the hijacked vessel to tackle the situation, the navy added.

“Naval aircraft continues to monitor movement and INS Chennai is closing the vessel to render assistance. The overall situation is being closely monitored, in coordination with other agencies/ MNF in the area,” the statement read.

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Rise in pirates attack

The hijacking incident occurred days after a Maltese-flagged merchant vessel was seized by unknown attackers in the Arabian Sea, putting piracy in the back in the spotlight. The vessel had indicated that six 'pirates' had illegally boarded it.

The Indian Navy evacuated one of the 18 crew members, a Bulgarian national, aboard the hijacked cargo vessel to provide medical care after he was injured by the pirates. The sailor was evacuated by the frontline ship INS Kochi.

Pirate attacks in the region peaked between 2008 and 2013 but steadily declined thereafter because of the concerted efforts of the multi-national maritime task force including the Indian Navy.