India has dispatched its navy to assist a ship that was seized by unknown assailants off the coast of Somalia. According to reports from Indian media, the vessel, known as the MV Lila Norfolk and flying the Liberian flag, was carrying 15 Indian crew members when it fell victim to hijackers near the Somali port town of Eyl.
The distressed crew sent out a distress signal to a UK marine agency, alerting them to the unauthorized boarding of their ship by “five to six armed individuals” on Thursday evening.
Responding swiftly, India’s navy deployed a patrol aircraft which successfully established contact with the vessel, confirming the safety of the crew.
In efforts to aid the compromised ship, the guided missile destroyer INS Chennai has been dispatched to provide assistance, while ongoing monitoring is conducted by a naval aircraft.
The crew had sought refuge in the vessel’s citadel, a secure area used for protection during emergency situations like piracy threats.
The MV Lila Norfolk was en route to Bahrain before the hijacking incident occurred. The resurgence of sporadic attacks on vessels in this region has raised concerns about the potential revival of piracy along Somalia’s coast.
Notably, piracy originating from Eyl was a significant issue for international shipping between 2008 and 2011, prompting global intervention with the deployment of warships from various countries to patrol the area.
