Post Date: 06/01/2024 During the early hours of January 5th, an expert team of Indian Navy commandos executed a successful boarding operation on the hijacked vessel "LILA NORFOLK," guaranteeing the safety of the crew and forcing the pirates to retreat.
On January 4th, distress signals were sent from the "LILA NORFOLK" to the UK Maritime Trade Organizations (UK MTO), reporting an armed boarding by five or six individuals. The incident occurred 460 nautical miles east of Eyl, Somalia.
The "LILA NORFOLK," a 170,000 DWT Liberian-registered bulker, was en route from Brazil to Bahrain, with a crew of 21, including 15 Indian nationals. The ship's AIS signal indicated a deviation from its course towards Somalia, raising concerns about a possible breach of the citadel, though details were still unclear.
In a prompt response, the Indian Navy dispatched the destroyer "Chennai." Contact was established with the "LILA NORFOLK" by an Indian Navy patrol aircraft on January 5th, confirming the crew's safety. A helicopter from the destroyer issued an ultimatum to the pirates, leading to the boarding of the vessel by an Elite Commando team.
The Indian Navy faced the challenge of thoroughly searching the large ship for intruders due to its size. Later, the UK MTO confirmed in an alert that no intruders were found, declaring the ship safe.
This incident marks the second recent hijacking attempt in the region off Somalia. Approximately a month earlier, in mid-December, pirates seized the Navibulgar vessel "MV Ruen," currently held off the Somali coast. The Indian Navy successfully intercepted this vessel, rescuing an injured crewmember during the operation. The rescued individual is currently receiving medical care in an Indian hospital.
