By An Indian Navy warship, INS Chennai, is en route to address a hijacking incident involving the vessel ‘MV LILA NORFOLK’ in the Arabian Sea, media reports said quoting military officials.
ANI news agency said that the Indian Navy received information about the hijacked Liberian-flagged ship near Somalia’s coast on the evening hours of Thursday (Jan 4). With 15 Indian crew members on board, the Indian Navy is actively monitoring the situation.
Reports said that a surveillance aircraft, also known as Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA), had also been deployed to observe the vessel. Moreover, communication has also been established with
The ongoing situation is under close monitoring with coordination among various agencies and the multi-national force (MNF) in the region, media reports highlighted citing the Indian Navy.
The MPA conducted an overflight of the vessel in the early morning of January 5, 2024 where it established contact and ensured the safety of the crew, as confirmed by news agency reports.
“The vessel had sent a message on the UKMTO (United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations) portal, indicating boarding by approximately five to six unknown armed personnel on the evening of January 4, 2024,” the Indian Navy reportedly said in a statement.
