Indian Navy: Elite MARCOs free crew onboard MV Lila Norfolk
Rescue mission of MV Lila Norlfolk in Arabian Sea
By Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi, January 5: Demonstrating one of the precision rescue mission on the high sea, the Indian Navy on Friday freed all the 15 Indian crew members from the hijacked MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea. The rescue mission was executed by the elite MARCOS commandoes who sanitized the hijacked sea off the Somalian pirates.
The Indian Navy said in a post on the social media planform X: “The swift response to the hijacking attempt of MV Lila Norfolk in the North Arabian Sea…All 21 crew, including 15Indians onboard, safely evacuated from the citadel. Sanitization by MARCOs has confirmed absence of the hijackers.”
The spokesperson of the Indian Navy said that the pirates ran away after the Indian rescue mission approached the MV Lila Norfolk ship. The merchant ship was flagged by the pirates on the high sea infested by the Somalian pirates.
The Indian Navy said: “The attempt of hijacking by the pirates was probably abandoned with the forceful warning by the Indian Navy MPA of interception by Indian Naval warship. INS Chennai is in the vicinity of MV Lila Norfolk and rendering support to restore the power generation and propulsion, and commence her voyage to next port of call.”
The INS Chennai was diverted from the anti-piracy patrol and intercepted MV Lila Norfolk in the afternoon of Friday. The rescue mission was backed by drones, as well as naval aircrafts. The Indian Navy said: “The MV Lila Norfolk was kept under continuous surveillance using MPA, Predator MQ9B and integral helos.”
It further stated that the “Indian Navy MARCOs present onboard the mission deployed warship boarded MV Lila Norfolk and commenced sanitisation. The Indian Navy’s mission deployed platforms respond to hijacking in the Arabian Sea.”
The Liberia-registered bulk carrier MV Lila Norfolk had reported boarding by five-six unauthorized armed personnel on the UK-based portal on Thursday evening. The Indian Navy had earlier said: “Indian Naval MPA launched, established contact with the vessel. The INS Chennai diverted for assistance.”
Indian Navy Marcos commandos were sent out on the INS Chennai along with predator drones and naval helicopters deployed on the ship to rescue the Merchant vessel with Indian the crew. The swift rescue mission has come as a shot in arm to the Indian capabilities for the maritime security in the international waters. Experts claimed that this was the first occasion that an Indian warship overpowered the Somalian pirates on the high sea. Incidentally, the Indian Navy is routinely sought after by the international vessels in times of distress in the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Sea.
India had recently commissioned the INS Imphal also to boost the naval capability to safeguard the marititime security.
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