NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian naval commandos have safely evacuated 21 crew members of a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier that was involved in a hijacking attempt in the Arabian Sea, the Navy said Friday.
The ship Purple Norfolk sent a message on the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitoring portal that five or six armed people boarded the ship Thursday evening, the Navy said in a statement.
The Indian Navy diverted a ship deployed for maritime security operations to assist the aircraft carrier and a group of commandos boarded the ship after monitoring its movement for several hours, the statement said.
No hijackers were found on board during a command search, the Navy said in an update.
“The hijack attempt by the pirates was probably aborted with the strong warning from the Indian Navy,” it said.
Britain's Maritime Trade Operations Monitor also reported Friday that the search had been completed and no hijackers had been found on board.
Ambrey, a maritime intelligence firm, said earlier that the bulk carrier had begun drifting 670 kilometers (420 miles) east of Hafun, Somalia.
A patrol aircraft flew over the Lila Norfolk early Friday and assessed the safety of the crew, which included 15 Native Americans, the Navy said. Commander. Mehul Karnik, a Navy spokesman, said crew members said they were operating the carrier from a safe room.
After the evacuation, the Indian Navy ship provided assistance in restoring power so that the ship could continue its journey, the Navy statement said.
No group immediately claimed responsibility for the attack. There are growing concerns about shipping in the region following attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.
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Jon Gambrell contributed from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.