Kochi: For the second time in December, the Offshore Patrol Vessel INS Sunayna, while being mission deployed, seized illegal arms such as five rifles that included AK-47 and 471 rounds of ammunition from a fishing vessel off the coast of Somalia on Thursday.
According to Navy officials, the OPV carried out a Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) operation on sighting the suspicious fishing vessel approximately 20 nm off the coast of Somalia in the Horn of Africa.
“After confiscation of the arms and ammunition to prevent their illegal use by the crew for piracy related activities, the fishing vessel was allowed to proceed further. Warships deployed in the area are always on the lookout for such illegal activities,” said Commander Sridhar Warrier, Public Relations Officer (Defence), Kochi.
INS Sunayna has been deployed for anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden since October 6. The ship had earlier seized six AK-47s and one Light Machine Gun in a previous search operation conducted on November 9 and December 7.
The international effort to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden/ East Coast of Somalia region involves participation of many countries such as India, China, Japan, United States, Russia, Pakistan and the European Union Nations. Warships operating in this region for combating piracy are authorised by the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2383 (2017) to board vessels suspected of illegal activities.
