The crew members, including Indians, expressed gratitude to the Indian Navy for rescuing them from the hijacked vessel MV Lila Norfolk off Somalia’s coast. In a video shared by the Navy, the rescued crew chanted “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and praised the Indian Navy, highlighting their relief after being stuck for 24 hours. The marine commandos successfully evacuated 21 crew members, 15 of whom were Indians, in a swift operation in the North Arabian Sea, foiling armed pirates’ hijack attempt on January 6, 2024.
The Indian Navy’s prompt response and warning likely thwarted the hijacking attempt, as confirmed by the absence of hijackers during the sanitization operation. INS Chennai, supporting the vessel, aims to restore power generation for its journey to the next port. Meanwhile, Admiral R Hari Kumar directed Indian warships in the Arabian Sea to take decisive action against pirates. The hijacked MV Lila Norfolk was sailing from Brazil to Bahrain when attacked 300 nautical miles east of Somalia.
The Mission Deployed Platforms responded swiftly to the hijack attempt, utilizing Maritime Patrol Aircraft and INS Chennai, showcasing the Indian Navy’s commitment to maritime security operations.
