The Indian Navy and Coast Guard on Sunday nabbed over twenty pirates. They were seized from a hijacked Greek vessel and a pirate mother ship as well as rescuing the original crew.
The joint operation was carried about one-hundred nautical miles west of Lakshadweep, a Navy spokesperson said.
The Greek-flagged merchant vessel Chios was reported to be chased by pirates on Saturday evening on high-speed skiffs about one-hundred nautical miles west of Kavaratti.
The Indian Navy’s Southern Command immediately despatched its first squadron training ship INS Tir and Coast Guard ship Samar. The ships were already deployed in the area for anti-piracy patrol.
The warships located the pirate skiffs on Sunday morning and when they ordered the pirates to stop, the ships came under fire.
The warships traced the skiffs to the pirate mother ship and in decisive firing, forced the pirates to hoist the white flag and surrender.
Several pirates as well as crew members being held hostage at the pirate ship were rescued and are being brought to Mumbai. They will then be handed over to authorities.
The pirate ship is also being towed to Mumbai.
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