After a high-voltage drama in the high seas, all 21 crew members including 15 Indian nationals from the hijacked vessel MV Lila Norfolk off Somalia coast were safely evacuated by the Indian Navy on Friday.
In a high voltage drama unfolding in the high seas, Indian naval warship INS Chennai reached the hijacked vessel MV Lila Norfolk off Somalia coast on Friday and issued a warning to the pirates on board to abandon the vessel, military officials told ANI.
In response to the situation, the Indian Navy launched an Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and diverted INS Chennai, deployed for maritime security operations, to assist the vessel.
The Iranian-backed Houthis attacked a merchant vessel, MAERSK HANGZHOU and US Navy helicopters in the southern Red Sea on Sunday and attempted to board the vessel, US Central Command said.
Chinese naval vessels ignored repeated distress calls from an Israeli-owned commercial tanker that was under attack on Sunday, the Pentagon said on Monday.
The ship, partially owned by Israeli businessman Rami Ungar, has no Israeli nationals aboard and was travelling from Turkey to India. Its 25 crew members are being held in Yemen.
Japan has said that it is "directly approaching" Houthi rebels, who recently hijacked an international cargo shop in the Red Sea, according to Al Jazeera.
Condemning the hijack, it said, "This is another act of Iranian terrorism and constitutes a leap forward in Iran's aggression against the citizens of the free world, with international consequences regarding the security of the global shipping lanes."
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of "hijacking" the Congress party's guarantee schemes to fight elections in five states.