Indian Ocean naval forces rescue two boats from Somali pirates

NEW DELHI: Indian Ocean naval forces said on Monday they had freed two fishing vessels hijacked separately by Somali pirates, with Indian sailors rescuing an Iranian boat and commandos from the Seychelles releasing a Sri Lankan trawler.

India´s navy said it had deployed its warship INS Sumitra -- which was on anti-piracy patrol off the east coast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden -- after receiving a distress message from the Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Iman.

“The fishing vessel had been boarded by pirates and the crew taken as hostages,” Indian navy spokesman Commander Vivek Madhwal said, adding that the warship intercepted the boat and then worked to “coerce” the hijackers.