Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Indian Navy rescues 19 Pakistanis on Iranian boat from Somali pirates

The rescue took place overnight Monday off the Somali coast, some 850 nautical miles (1,574 kilometres) west of the Indian city of Kochi in Kerala

Indian Navy rescues 19 Pakistanis on Iranian boat from Somali pirates

The Indian Navy said on Tuesday (30) that it had successfully freed an Iranian fishing vessel that had been hijacked by Somali pirates.

This intervention marks the second such instance within two days, following a recent surge in pirate attacks on shipping in the Indian Ocean.


The warship INS Sumitra "compelled the safe release" of the 19 Pakistani crew members and the Iranian-flagged Al Naeemi fishing vessel, the spokesman said.

A total of "11 Somali pirates" had taken the crew hostage, the navy said.

Photographs released by the navy showed Somali pirates wielding AK-47 rifles standing on the boat, and another with a navy helicopter hovering overhead.

Further photographs showed commandos boarding the fishing boat in the dark, then standing with rifles over a group of pirates, the men kneeling at their feet with their hands tied behind their backs on the ship's deck.

The rescue took place overnight Monday off the Somali coast, some 850 nautical miles (1,574 kilometres) west of the Indian city of Kochi in Kerala.

It came just 36 hours after India said its forces had freed 17 crew members of the Iranian-flagged Iman fishing vessel, also taken by Somali pirates.

In a third case, commandos from the Seychelles on Monday freed the Sri Lankan fishing vessel Lorenzo Putha-4 and safely rescued its six-man crew.

That boat had been hijacked three days earlier by Somali gunmen about 840 nautical miles (1,555 kilometres) southeast of Mogadishu, the capital of impoverished and war-ravaged Somalia.

The hijackings off Somalia have fuelled concerns about a resurgence of Indian Ocean raids by opportunistic pirates, coming on top of a separate surge in attacks launched by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels.

Huthi gunmen have launched scores of attacks in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden targeting Israeli-linked vessels in response to Israel's war against the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.

International naval forces have been diverted north from the Gulf of Aden into the Red Sea, sparking fears that pirates will exploit the security gap, with the first successful case of Somali piracy since 2017 recorded in December.

Pirate attacks off the Somali coast peaked in 2011 -- with gunmen launching attacks as far as 3,655 kilometres (2,270 miles) from the Somali coast in the Indian Ocean -- before falling off sharply after international navies sent warships and commercial shipping deployed armed guards.

Somali pirates previously would use high-powered open skiffs to seize fishing vessels they could then use as "motherships" to travel far further into the Indian Ocean to attack larger ships.

As well as rescuing the crew and freeing the boats, India said its operations were preventing "misuse of fishing vessels as motherships for further acts of piracy" on larger merchant vessels.

India's navy has been deployed continuously off Somalia since 2008, but in December sent a far larger force -- including three guided-missile destroyers and P-8I reconnaissance aircraft to "maintain a deterrent presence" after a string of shipping attacks.

India, which has close trade ties with Iran, has not joined the US-led maritime task force in the Red Sea to protect international shipping against attacks by Huthi rebels.

In December, Somali pirates hijacked the Malta-flagged bulk carrier MV Ruen.

After releasing one injured sailor into the care of the Indian navy, the pirates took the MV Ruen and its remaining 17 crew members to Somalia's semi-autonomous state of Puntland.

(AFP)

More For You

pope-francis-getty

Cathedral staff set up an image of Pope Francis inside The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Most Precious Blood, informally known as Westminster Cathedral, in central London on April 21, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

From Sede Vacante to Habemus Papam, what happens after the pope dies

THE DEATH of Pope Francis on Monday has triggered the Catholic Church’s established process for selecting a new leader.

This includes a transition period followed by the election of a new pope by the cardinals.

Keep ReadingShow less
JD-Vance-Getty

JD Vance Lands in India, Begins Four-Day Diplomatic Visit

getty image

JD Vance lands in India for his four-day visit

US VICE PRESIDENT JD Vance arrived in India on Monday for a four-day visit, during which he is scheduled to meet prime minister Narendra Modi. The visit comes as India looks to secure a trade deal with the US and avoid increased tariffs.

Vance's visit, which includes family engagements, will also see discussions with Modi. He is expected to review the progress made on issues agreed upon during Modi’s February meeting with US president Donald Trump in Washington, people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Keep ReadingShow less
Asian Media Group unveils first-ever Women of Colour Power List

(From left) Asian Media Group Executive Editor Shailesh Solanki, Chief Operating Officer Aditya Solanki and Managing Editor Kalpesh Solanki unveil inaugural “Women of Colour Power List 2025” at 2025 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show in New Orleans

Asian Media Group unveils first-ever Women of Colour Power List

ASIAN MEDIA GROUP USA, publisher of Asian Hospitality magazine, launched the first-ever “Women of Colour Power List 2025” at the 2025 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show in New Orleans, honouring 51 women reshaping the US hospitality industry.

The publication is the first to spotlight the achievements of women of colour, recognising their resilience, innovation, and leadership.

Keep ReadingShow less
pope-francis

The Pope had recently recovered from a serious case of double pneumonia.

Getty Images

Pope Francis dies at 88, Vatican announces

POPE FRANCIS, the first Latin American to lead the Roman Catholic Church, has died at the age of 88, the Vatican announced in a video statement on Monday.

Cardinal Kevin Farrell made the announcement on the Vatican’s TV channel. “Dear brothers and sisters, it is with profound sadness I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis,” he said. “At 7:35 this morning the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Vance, Modi talks to focus on 'US-India strategic ties'

JD Vance (R) with Narendra Modi. (Photo by LEAH MILLIS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Vance, Modi talks to focus on 'US-India strategic ties'

US vice president JD Vance will begin a four-day official visit to India on Monday (21), as part of efforts to strengthen economic, trade and strategic ties between the two countries. He will be accompanied by his wife Usha Vance, their three children, and top US officials.

The visit comes at a critical time, as the US and India aim to finalise a long-awaited bilateral trade agreement. Both sides are also looking to boost cooperation in defence, technology, and regional security amid ongoing tensions with China.

Keep ReadingShow less