Loading article content...
Loading article content...
BANDARBAYLA, Somalia, 3 November 2026 India's Navy has rescued 20 crew members aboard an Iranian fishing vessel hijacked by armed pirates off Somalia's northeastern coast, following a military operation lasting more than 48 hours, India's Defence Ministry said on Tuesday.
The fishing vessel, identified as the Azini, was hijacked on October 29, approximately 185 nautical miles east of Bandarbayla, between the coastal towns of Bandarbayla and Hafun in Somalia's Puntland region.
The Indian Navy deployed a warship and a maritime reconnaissance aircraft to locate and track the vessel after receiving reports of the hijacking. The operation was supported by the Indian Air Force, which deployed Marine Commandos using a C-17 transport aircraft.
The navy said its forces used measures to restrict the vessel's movement before launching a coordinated intervention that secured the ship and freed all 20 crew members. No casualties or injuries were reported.
Related articles
The hijacking raised concerns among maritime security agencies that the vessel could be used as a pirate mothership to launch attacks against commercial ships operating in the western Indian Ocean.
The Maritime Security Centre Indian Ocean, which supports the European Union's Operation Atalanta, had warned that the vessel's movement towards major shipping routes posed a potential threat to maritime traffic in the region.
According to earlier reporting by the Associated Press, the vessel was carrying 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards when it was seized. The Indian Navy's statement confirmed the rescue of 20 crew members but did not clarify the status of the two Somali guards or account for the discrepancy in the reported number of Iranian crew.
The incident comes amid renewed piracy concerns off Somalia's coastline, where armed groups have stepped up attacks and hijackings of vessels in recent months. Maritime security reports have documented several vessel seizures since April 2026, raising concerns about the safety of international shipping routes linking the Gulf of Aden, the Arabian Sea and the wider Indian Ocean.
Somalia's coastline is strategically positioned along major international maritime routes, making security in its waters important for regional trade and global shipping. The Iranian Embassy in the New Delhi's statement also praised the operation, describing it as an example of cooperation between India and Iran in protecting lives at sea.