On the morning of 05 May an Indian Navy’s TU 142 aircraft’s persistant efforts lead to pirates evacuating a Chinese merchant vessel MV Full City.
At about 0845 hrs on 05 May 11, the Indian Navy received an SOS call regarding a pirate attack on Chinese merchant vessel MV Full City about 450 nm (850 kms) West of Karwar. The Indian Navy immediately diverted an IN aircraft and a CG ship.
The TU 142 (Maritime Reconnaisance) aircraft of the Indian Navy, which was on anti piracy patrol, arrived overhead MV Full City in less than 30 minutes. The aircraft observed a pirate mother ship next to MV Full City and an empty skiff alongside the ship.
The aircraft made a number of low passes over the ship and strongly warned the pirates, on radio, to leave the merchant ship immediately, stating that Naval warships were closing the area. The aircraft observed that the warning had the desired effect and the skiff was seen leaving the ship along with the pirates and heading for its mother ship nearby.
As there were no surface forces in the immediate vicintiy to board MV Full City and sanitise the ship, the IN aircraft maintained overhead MV Full City for over three hours assisting the rescue operation by co-ordinating with the NATO Task Force.
The TU aircraft finally left the area after over four hours, having successfully repealed the piracy attack and, only after ensuring that surface forces were within range to proceed with the boarding and sanitising operations.
The operation highlighted the alacrity of the Indian Navy and also reflected adept international co-operation maintained by the Indian Navy as this operation involved co-operation with the NATO Task Force, the Chinese Task Force and the Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre at Beijing. The Chinese TF also thanked the Indian Navy for its prompt and persistant action leading to the pirate attack on MV Full City being repealed.
MV Full City now continues its passage through the waters of the Eastern Arabian Sea its safety assured by the sustained anti-piracy vigil being maintained by teh Indian Navy and the Indian Coast Guard.
With independent as well as collaborative efforts the Indian Maritime Forces have reduced the threat of piracy in the Arabian Sea in general and the Eastern Arabian Sea in particular. It is particularly noteworthy that there has been a drop of over 80% in the number of piracy attacks in the Eastern Arabian Sea. As a matter of fact, in the month of April 2011, there was not a single reported piracy attack in the Eastern Arabian Sea. This demonstrates the nation’s continued determination to assure safety of merchant shipping in the International Sea Lanes in the Arabian Sea.
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