Indian Navy on Sunday captured 16 Somali pirates off the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea. Defence spokesperson captain M Nambiar said in Mumbai that the Navy also rescued 16 crew members – 12 Iranians and 4 Pakistanis – of a hijacked vessel following a three-hour operation against Somali pirates.

Capt Nambiar said, INS Suvarna intercepted the pirates’ mother vessel Morteza following a distress call received by the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at 11 am from a merchant ship MV Maersk Kensington.

The Coast Guard ship ICGS Sangram was also diverted for the operation.

This was the second pirate attack thwarted by the Navy and Coast guard in the Arabian sea in a fortnight. The Navy has been maintaining surveillance off the Lakshadweep islands over the several months as part of ‘Operation Island Watch’.