The Indian defence forces have informed that an Indian naval warship, INS Chennai, has reached the hijacked vessel, MV Lila Norfolk, off Somalia's coast. The Indian Navy commandos have boarded the hijacked ship.
The Navy informed that the hijacked vessel MV Lila Norfolk has been kept under surveillance by its maritime patrol aircraft and predator drone in the Arabian Sea.
According to reports, Indian Navy commandos are now carrying out "sanitisation" operations in the Arabian Sea.
The Indian crew on board are safe and Marine Commandos MARCOS are ready for operations. At least 15 Indian crew members were on board the vessel, which was hijacked near Somalia's coast and the Navy received information about it on Thursday evening, news agency ANI reported.
“INS Chennai diverted from her Anti Piracy patrol and intercepted the MV at 1515hrs today, on 5th Jan. MV was kept under continuous surveillance using Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Predator MQ9B and integral helos. The Indian Navy Marine Commandos present onboard the Mission Deployed warship boarded the MV and have commenced the Sanitisation", the Indian Navy said.
The Navy had deployed a ship and a patrol aircraft in the Arabian Sea following the hijacking attempt onboard the Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, it said on Friday.
