An Indian warship has thwarted an attempted hijacking of an aframax tanker in the Arabian Sea.
The Indian navy said Shipping Corp of India’s (SCI) 114,000–dwt Desh Rakshak (built 2003) spotted gunmen boarding a skiff from a 12-metre boat about six miles away on Tuesday.
The warship INS Sukanya was alerted and headed to the suspicious craft.
A Chetak helicopter was launched and the boat was warned to stop.
The 14 men on board were ordered on to the upper deck.
A boarding party from the warship carried out a search of the small vessel, revealing three rifles and about 320 rounds of ammunition.
In addition, ladders and other gear used to board vessels were found.
The boat was also carrying a large quantity of fuel and LPG cylinders, in addition to communication and navigation equipment.
The arms and ammunition were seized and other piracy-related equipment thrown overboard, after which the boat was released.
