Navy commandos free 20 Iranian fishermen from Somali pirates; Iran thanks India

Iran's embassy in New Delhi has thanked India after the Navy freed all 20 crew of an Iranian fishing dhow that had been seized by pirates off Somalia. The embassy expressed "sincere appreciation to the Government of India, the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force" and called the rescue a sign of the "spirit of friendship, solidarity and cooperation" between the two countries, WION reported.

The dhow, Azini, was boarded by about a dozen armed pirates off Somalia's north-eastern coast late last month. The Navy diverted the guided-missile destroyer INS Kolkata, already on deployment, and tracked the vessel with maritime patrol aircraft, using what it called "calibrated non-kinetic measures" to stop it escaping. Marine Commandos were then para-dropped from an Air Force C-17 and retook the boat, more than 3,000 km from Mumbai. No one was hurt, the Navy said. The pirates were captured, The Maritime Executive reported; the Navy has not said what will happen to them.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the "meticulously coordinated 48-hour operation". The Navy said the dhow could have been used as a "mother ship" for attacks on merchant ships.

The rescue came as Indian sailors face danger nearer the Gulf: on Tuesday an Indian seafarer was killed when the Indian-flagged MSV Al Jusufi was attacked off Oman.