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New Delhi: The Indian Navy successfully prevented a piracy attempt on the merchant vessel MV Golden Arsenal in the Gulf of Aden, ensuring the safety of all 21 crew members, including one Indian national.
The vessel, sailing under the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, was en route to India with valuable cargo after departing from Aden, Yemen. While transiting approximately 300 nautical miles northeast of Djibouti, the ship came under threat from suspected pirates.
A distress alert was received by the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), prompting the immediate deployment of INS Trikand to the location.
As the Indian Navy warship approached, the suspected pirates fled the area without engaging further. A team of MARCOS (Marine Commandos) was then deployed aboard the merchant vessel to conduct a comprehensive security sweep and assess the situation.
The crew had safely secured themselves inside the ship’s citadel during the incident, preventing the pirates from taking control of the vessel. Following the security checks, the ship resumed its voyage towards India.
The Indian Navy reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding merchant shipping and maintaining the security of vital sea lanes in the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean region.
