Now Reading: Pirate attack on India-bound ship foiled, captain hid crew in citadel
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Pirate attack on India-bound ship foiled, captain hid crew in citadel
Indian Navy responded swiftly on July 1 after the master of bulk carrier Golden Arsenal moved all crew, including one Indian seafarer, into the vessel's fortified citadel during a pirate attack in…
The Story in Brief
Indian Navy responded swiftly on July 1 after the master of bulk carrier Golden Arsenal moved all crew, including one Indian seafarer, into the vessel's fortified citadel during a pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden. The pirates failed to breach the safe room and eventually fled. Captain Vikram Singh Manhas, deputy nautical adviser at DGMA, warned of rising piracy at the National Port Security Conference, noting that four vessels are currently held hostage by Somali pirates, with three carrying Indian crew numbering 1, 5 and 11. The government plans to launch a dashboard on August 15 to track every Indian seafarer at sea, while shipping minister Sarbananda Sonowal unveiled the e-Samudra digital platform this week.
The Indian Opinion
The dramatic rescue of the Golden Arsenal's crew is good news, but the fact that four vessels with Indian seafarers remain in pirate hands is a sobering reminder that prevention is not cure. The government's seafarer dashboard and e-Samudra platform are welcome steps, but they track crew, not pirates. The real test will be whether the Indian Navy can maintain its swift response posture as piracy shifts closer to the coast. How many more ships must hide in a citadel before the root cause is addressed?
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
