New Delhi: The Indian Navy successfully prevented a piracy attempt on merchant vessel MV Golden Arsenal in the Gulf of Aden after frontline warship INS Trikand responded rapidly to an emergency distress call.
The attack took place late on Wednesday when suspected pirates targeted the cargo vessel while it was transiting through the strategically important maritime corridor. The ship, which was carrying vital cargo bound for India, had one Indian crew member on board.
As the incident unfolded, crew members moved to a designated secure area within the vessel and issued an emergency alert through distress communication channels. The Indian Navy’s anti piracy task force operating in the region quickly received the signal and dispatched INS Trikand to the location.
Sources said the approaching presence of the Indian warship forced the pirates to abandon their attempt and flee before they could board or seize control of the vessel.
Following the incident, elite Marine Commandos boarded MV Golden Arsenal and conducted a comprehensive sanitisation operation to ensure no armed intruders remained on board. Crew members were also medically examined before the ship was cleared to resume its voyage.
The operation marks the latest in a series of successful anti piracy missions undertaken by the Indian Navy in the region. Earlier in June, INS Trikand responded to a distress call from merchant vessel MV Fareeda 5 following reports of a suspected piracy attempt in the Western Indian Ocean and successfully deterred the threat.
In May, another Indian Navy warship, INS Kolkata, intervened to foil a similar suspected piracy attempt involving merchant vessel MV Mashallah 1.
The repeated interventions highlight India’s growing role as a key maritime security provider in the region and its commitment to ensuring the safety of international shipping routes.
