A bulk carrier flying the Liberian flag, known as 'MV Lila Norfolk,' carrying approximately 15 Indian crew members, has been reported as hijacked by an armed group consisting of around five to six individuals in the Arabian Sea. The distress signal was received early on Friday, alerting officials to the situation.
The vessel sent out an SOS on the UKMTP portal, indicating the presence of armed hijackers boarding the ship late Thursday evening. Promptly responding to the distress call, the Indian Navy initiated an immediate response by deploying a Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and redirecting the warship INS Chennai to provide assistance to the distressed vessel, located near the eastern coast of Somalia.
As the INS Chennai approaches the hijacked ship, naval aircraft are continuously monitoring the vessel's movement. The overall situation is under close surveillance and coordination with other agencies and Maritime Security Forces (MNF) in the region.
This incident marks the third such occurrence in the high seas along the country's west coast in the past month. The Indian Navy has consistently demonstrated its readiness to respond with rescue and relief operations in these situations, emphasizing its commitment to maritime security and safeguarding vessels in distress.
(With Agency Inputs)
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