Indian Navy deploys warship after hijack bid on Liberia-flagged bulk carrier

All 15 Indian crew members on board the vessel are safe

The Indian Navy dispatched a vessel and a surveillance aircraft to the Arabian Sea in response to an attempted hijacking aboard a Liberia-flagged bulk carrier.

On 4 January, the vessel reported an unauthorised boarding by around five to six armed men – suspected to be Somali pirates – although there has been no official confirmation of their identity.

The Indian Navy said in a statement that the vessel sent a message on the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations portal about the hijacking.

Fifteen Indians are on board the hijacked ship, not identified by the officials but media reports said it was MV Lila Norfolk, and communication has been established with the crew.

The Indian Navy warship INS Chennai was dispatched to the Arabian Sea to help with the attempted hijacking.

On early Friday, a patrol aircraft flew over the vessel, establishing contact with the crew and confirming their safety, the Indian Navy said.

“The aircraft overflew the vessel on early morning of 5 January [20]24 and established contact with the vessel, ascertaining the safety of the crew,” the statement added.

“Naval aircraft continues to monitor movement and INS Chennai is closing the vessel to render assistance. The overall situation is being closely monitored, in coordination with other agencies/ [Maritime Task Force] MNF in the area,” it further added.

The aircraft is continuing to monitor the carrier’s movements and the naval ship is travelling to the vessel to assist.

Commander Mehul Karnik, a navy spokesperson, said the crew members said they were in their strong room and were operating the vessel from there, according to the Associated Press.

The hijacking incident comes just days after an unknown group seized a Maltese-flagged merchant vessel in the Arabian Sea, bringing piracy back into the spotlight. The vessel reported that six “pirates” had illegally boarded it.

Meanwhile, no group has taken responsibility for the attempt to hijack the Liberia-flagged bulk carrier.

The situation is being closely monitored, with collaborative efforts underway involving multiple agencies and the Maritime Task Force (MNF) in the region.

“Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring safety of merchant shipping in the region along with international partners and friendly foreign countries, the statement said.

Additional reporting with agencies