Indian navy rescues 20 crew from Iranian fishing boat hijacked off Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia —
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navy → rescue → Somalia
Indian naval forces freed an Iranian fishing boat and its crew of 20 hijacked off Somalia after an operation lasting more than 48 hours, India's Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
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Ministry → free → hours
The rescue of the Azini was completed Monday in the Arabian Sea, more than 3,000 kilometers (1,865 miles) from Mumbai, Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said.
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Singh → complete → Mumbai
An official with the Puntland Maritime Police Force told The Associated Press that Indian forces disarmed 12 suspected Somali pirates, confiscated their mobile phones and released them.
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forces → tell → them
He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
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he → speak → media
The suspects and two Somali security guards later came ashore at Bandar Bayla in northeastern Somalia, the official said.
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official → come → Somalia
Three of those who came ashore had minor injuries, but he did not specify whether they were suspects or guards, or how they were hurt.
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they → come → injuries
India's ministry said the operation ended without casualties or injuries.
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operation → say → casualties
It did not specify whether that account covered everyone aboard or only the rescued crew.
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account → specify → everyone
It was unclear whether the crew remained on the vessel or were moved elsewhere.
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crew → remain → vessel
The operation involved a warship, a maritime surveillance aircraft and marine commandos.
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operation → involve → warship
An Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft airdropped additional commandos, the ministry said.
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ministry → airdrop → commandos
The Azini was hijacked Oct. 29 between Bandar Bayla and Hafun.
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Azini → hijack → Bayla
A Puntland maritime police officer said on Sunday that it carried 21 Iranian crew members and two Somali security guards.
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it → say → members
The difference between that crew count and India's rescue figure could not immediately be explained.
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difference → explain → count
Indian forces tracked the vessel by sea and air before securing it, the ministry said.
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ministry → track → it
It said there had been concern that pirates could use the boat as a floating base for attacks on commercial ships.
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pirates → say → ships
The Puntland official said regional authorities learned of the rescue only after it had taken place.
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it → say → place
The hijacking followed a resurgence of Somali piracy across the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean.
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hijacking → follow → Aden
By August, pirates had hijacked six commercial vessels since April, some far from Somalia's coast.
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pirates → hijack → coast
They included the oil products tanker Sibu 1, seized about 252 kilometers (136 nautical miles) east of al-Mukalla, Yemen.
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They → include → Mukalla
In September, Puntland authorities said pirates killed five crew members of the tanker MT Honour 25 before security forces recovered it.
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forces → say → it
The tanker had been held since April.
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tanker → hold → April
Authorities said they detained 16 suspected pirates.
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they → say → pirates
The renewed piracy adds to shipping risks in a region already disrupted by the Iran war.
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piracy → renew → war
Attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and threats by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels against Saudi-linked shipping through Bab el-Mandeb have complicated oil transport routes.
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Attacks → back → routes
Those disruptions have lengthened voyages and driven up tanker costs.
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disruptions → lengthen → costs
Some oil shipments diverted around Africa face journeys up to a month longer.
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shipments → divert → journeys
International naval patrols and improved maritime security have sharply reduced Somali piracy over the past decade, but recent hijackings have renewed concerns about the threat.
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hijackings → improve → threat
The Aporia
