Indian Navy Thwarts Gulf of Aden Piracy, IMO Urges Release of Three Ships

The Indian Navy successfully intervened in a piracy attempt on the merchant vessel MV Golden Arsenal in the Gulf of Aden, deploying stealth frigate INS Trikand to intercept and secure the ship after the attack.

The operation coincided with an urgent appeal from the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for the release of the crews of three other vessels still held by Somali pirates. The IMO warned that the humanitarian situation aboard one of them, which includes one Indian crew member, had turned critical. Five Indian nationals are among the crews of two of those three vessels.

On July 1, the MV Golden Arsenal, a St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged bulk carrier, reported an attempted pirate attack while transiting from Aden, Yemen, about 300 nautical miles east-northeast of Djibouti. The vessel, en route to Thoothukudi, was carrying 21 crew members — 20 Syrian nationals and one Indian.

The incident was reported through the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR). INS Trikand, then approximately 80 nautical miles away, altered course to close in on the vessel. The frigate launched a helicopter to sanitise the area.

Upon establishing communication, naval personnel confirmed that the crew had taken shelter in the ship's citadel — a fortified refuge with independent power, ventilation, satellite communication, and supplies — and remained safe throughout. Pirates were suspected to be still onboard. The Golden Arsenal had been stopped roughly 110 nautical miles northeast of Somalia's Boosaaso. INS Trikand maintained a close watch within 1.5 nautical miles through the night.

On July 2, a boarding team from INS Trikand conducted a thorough search of the vessel, finding no suspicious personnel. The crew emerged safely from the citadel and began assessing damage with Indian Navy personnel. The Indian Navy also deployed a P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft for aerial surveillance and reconnaissance.

The merchant ship had sustained damage to its bridge superstructure and adjoining compartments during the attack. With the vessel declared secure, INS Trikand concluded its anti-piracy operation. The Golden Arsenal has resumed its onward voyage. The Navy reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding merchant shipping and ensuring seafarer safety in the Indian Ocean Region, regardless of nationality.

Meanwhile, the IMO expressed particular concern about the Palau-flagged tanker MT Honour 25, whose 17 crew members — including one Indian national — have been held since the vessel was hijacked on April 24. The IMO statement, citing the ship's Master, reported that five crew members, including the Master, were unwell, with food supplies reduced to rice and drinking water unfit for consumption. It also noted that armed pirates guarding the vessel had recently exchanged fire with a rival pirate group, leaving the crew caught between competing factions. The Master appealed for international help to secure the crew's release.

The IMO added that the crews of two other vessels — the Sward and the MV Eureka — continue to be held under similarly difficult conditions. The MV Eureka's 12-member crew includes four Indian nationals. The IMO called for urgent, coordinated international intervention to secure the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.