An Indian Navy warship foiled a piracy attempt onboard a liberian registered merchant ship in Gulf of Aden on Tuesday. Also, the Navy warship also recovered arms and ammunition from some dhows abandoned by pirates who fled when the Indian vessel rushed towards them.
The ship INS Sharda was deployed for anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden in April this year. Part of an international effort to prevent piracy there, India has deployed ships there since 2008 and they escort merchant ships through 490 nautical mile sea lane.
Giving details of the incident on Wednesday, Navy officials said at about 4.45 pm on Tuesday, INS Sharda, an off-shore patrol vessel, received a distress call from MV lord Mountbatten , in position 230 nautical miles south-west of Salalah (in the Gulf of Aden).
The vessel had reported an incident of attempted piracy by two suspicious mother vessels along with 7-8 skiffs. The Indian ship, which was at that time 30 nautical miles east of the reported position, immediately responded to the distress call, they said.
On arriving in the area by about 7.00 pm INS Sharda detected two dhows along with eight skiffs in vicinity, three of which fled the area at high speeds on sighting the warship. Indian Navy’s Marine Commandos (MARCOS), with support of the armed helicopter from the ship investigated the dhows and their skiffs by conducting board and search operations.
The absence of any fishing gear onboard the two dhows and remaining five skiffs indicated malicious intent and possible piracy-linked intentions. One high calibre AK-47rifle with one filled magazine (28 rounds) was found hidden onboard one of the dhows. The weapon and ammunition were confiscated to prevent future illegal misuse, they said.