Indian Navy deploys helicopter, boarding team after piracy alert

Indian Navy destroyer INS Kolkata responded to reports of suspected pirate activity near merchant vessel MV Mashallah 1 in the Western Indian Ocean, helping thwart a possible piracy attempt, TOI reported on Wednesday.

The warship, currently deployed near the Gulf of Aden, initiated an immediate response after receiving inputs regarding suspicious movements around the commercial vessel.

As part of the operation, INS Kolkata launched its onboard helicopter for aerial reconnaissance and conducted boarding operations to assess the situation and ensure the vessel’s security.


According to the Navy, the swift intervention helped safeguard the merchant ship and its crew.

The Indian Navy has been maintaining continuous anti-piracy deployments in the Gulf of Aden since 2008 to secure key international shipping lanes and commercial maritime traffic.

The latest incident comes amid elevated security concerns in the region following tensions in West Asia linked to the ongoing US-Iran conflict.