ID :
29738
Wed, 11/12/2008 - 20:19
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/29738
The shortlink copeid
Indian Navy foils pirate attacks on Indian, Saudi ships
New Delhi, Nov 11 (PTI) In the first operation in the
Gulf of Aden since its deployment three weeks back, Indian
Navy Tuesday foiled an attempt by heavily-armed pirates to
capture two merchant vessels, including an Indian flag
carrier, off the notorious Somalia coast.
In a swift action, warship I.N.S. Tabar intervened to
thwart two near-simultaneous attacks by pirates on an Indian
cargo vessel M.V. Jag Arnav and a Saudi flag carrier M.V.
N.C.C. Thihama within 25 nautical miles of each other this
morning.
The Indian warship, which was deployed in the region on
October 23 in the wake of rising attacks by pirates on
merchant vessels, received an S.O.S. from the Saudi ship at
around 1000 hours after a group of pirates surrounded it.
Marine commandos on board I.N.S. Tabar flew out in an
armed helicopter and launched an assault on the attackers, who
were in five speed boats, forcing them to flee into the Somali
waters.
Even as this operation was on, the warship received a
panic call from M.V. Jag Arnav, a merchant vessel owned by
Mumbai-based Great Eastern Shipping Company, with about 20
crew members on board.
Arnav, a 38,265-tonne bulk carrier, was also ambushed by
heavily-armed pirates in speed boats soon after it crossed
Suez Canal and was eastward bound, the Indian Navy said here.
The pirates were firing at the vessel and making attempt
to board it.
The Indian warship, after securing the Saudi ship and
escorting it to safety, rushed marine commandos on a
helicopter. The commandos engaged the pirates, forcing them to
flee into the Somalian waters.
"An armed helicopter with marine commandos was launched
from the naval warship to intervene and prevent the pirates
from boarding and hijacking the merchant vessel. This timely
and successful intervention led to the pirates aborting their
attempt," the Navy said.
Later, I.N.S. Tabar, which was about 25 nautical miles
away from the place of pirate attack, closed in on the
merchant vessel and escorted it to safety.
Lauding the successful operation undertaken by its force,
Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said the warship deployed in
the Gulf of Aden would ensure safety of "sovereign assets".
In a statement here, the Navy chief said "piracy is a
crime which all men of war are required to combat at all
times."
He said Indian naval ships operating in pirate-infested
areas are always in a high state of alert and have the
capability to intervene by air or ship-borne weapons. "Their
mandate is to ensure that safety of our sovereign assets is
maintained." PTI N.C.B.
RKM
NNNN
Gulf of Aden since its deployment three weeks back, Indian
Navy Tuesday foiled an attempt by heavily-armed pirates to
capture two merchant vessels, including an Indian flag
carrier, off the notorious Somalia coast.
In a swift action, warship I.N.S. Tabar intervened to
thwart two near-simultaneous attacks by pirates on an Indian
cargo vessel M.V. Jag Arnav and a Saudi flag carrier M.V.
N.C.C. Thihama within 25 nautical miles of each other this
morning.
The Indian warship, which was deployed in the region on
October 23 in the wake of rising attacks by pirates on
merchant vessels, received an S.O.S. from the Saudi ship at
around 1000 hours after a group of pirates surrounded it.
Marine commandos on board I.N.S. Tabar flew out in an
armed helicopter and launched an assault on the attackers, who
were in five speed boats, forcing them to flee into the Somali
waters.
Even as this operation was on, the warship received a
panic call from M.V. Jag Arnav, a merchant vessel owned by
Mumbai-based Great Eastern Shipping Company, with about 20
crew members on board.
Arnav, a 38,265-tonne bulk carrier, was also ambushed by
heavily-armed pirates in speed boats soon after it crossed
Suez Canal and was eastward bound, the Indian Navy said here.
The pirates were firing at the vessel and making attempt
to board it.
The Indian warship, after securing the Saudi ship and
escorting it to safety, rushed marine commandos on a
helicopter. The commandos engaged the pirates, forcing them to
flee into the Somalian waters.
"An armed helicopter with marine commandos was launched
from the naval warship to intervene and prevent the pirates
from boarding and hijacking the merchant vessel. This timely
and successful intervention led to the pirates aborting their
attempt," the Navy said.
Later, I.N.S. Tabar, which was about 25 nautical miles
away from the place of pirate attack, closed in on the
merchant vessel and escorted it to safety.
Lauding the successful operation undertaken by its force,
Navy Chief Admiral Sureesh Mehta said the warship deployed in
the Gulf of Aden would ensure safety of "sovereign assets".
In a statement here, the Navy chief said "piracy is a
crime which all men of war are required to combat at all
times."
He said Indian naval ships operating in pirate-infested
areas are always in a high state of alert and have the
capability to intervene by air or ship-borne weapons. "Their
mandate is to ensure that safety of our sovereign assets is
maintained." PTI N.C.B.
RKM
NNNN
