INS Sumitra, on anti-piracy operations along the East Coast of Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, responded to a distress message regarding hijacking of an Iranian-flagged Fishing Vessel Iman. The vessel had been boarded by pirates and the crew was taken as hostages, Indian navy informed

INS Sumitra intercepted the vessel and acted in accordance with the established SOPs to coerce the pirates for safe release of the crew along with the boat, he said. It ensured the successful release of all 17 crew members and the boat

The vessel was subsequently sanitised and released for onward transit "Mission deployed Indian naval ships on anti-piracy and maritime security operations in the Indian Ocean region symbolises the Indian Navy's resolve towards safety of all vessels and seafarers at sea

Meanwhile, Indian Navy also brought under control the fire onboard MV Marlin Luanda in Gulf of Agen

Indian warship INS Visakhapatnam extinguished a fire onboard a commercial oil tanker with 22 Indian crew after the vessel was struck by a missile in the Gulf of Aden

The Indian Navy deployed its missile destroyer INS Visakhapatnam to assist the vessel after receiving a distress call from it on Friday night

Gulf of Aden is a key shipping route that witnessed similar attacks in the last few weeks