Good News
Indian Navy commandos free all 20 crew of a hijacked Iranian fishing boat off Somalia, with no injuries
INS Kolkata and Air Force-airlifted marine commandos ended the hijack more than 3,000 km from Mumbai.
In short
20crew freed safely
- Crew freed: 20 (per the Navy)
- Air Force flying: 6,000+ km
- Distance from Mumbai: 3,000+ km
The rescue
Pirates seized the Iranian fishing vessel Azini off Somalia's Puntland coast on 29 October. The destroyer INS Kolkata was sent in, and marine commandos, flown in overnight by the Indian Air Force on a mission covering more than 6,000 km, boarded the boat on 2 November and freed all 20 crew without casualties, the Navy said.
Why it matters
The operation took place more than 3,000 km from Mumbai and shows India's growing role in keeping shipping lanes in the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Aden safe, regardless of the crew's nationality.
