Another arms, ammunition haul by INS Sunayna off Somalia coast

Indian Naval Ship Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel (OPV) of the Kochi-headquartered Southern Naval Command, has seized arms and ammunition from a fishing vessel about 20 nautical miles off the Somalia coast.

The seizure was made on Thursday while carrying out a Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) operation launched on sighting a suspicious vessel, a Defence press release said.

The operation led to the confiscation of illegal arms, five rifles, including AK-47s, and 471 rounds of ammunition, it said.

The vessel was allowed to proceed after the arms and ammunition were seized, the release said.

INS Sunayna has been deployed on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden since October 6.

The ship had seized six AK-47s and one Light Machine Gun in previous search operations conducted on November 9 and December 7.

The vigilance exercised by the Indian Navy ships reiterates the commitment of India towards ensuring safe seas for Indian as well as international seafarers in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the release added.

The international effort to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia region involves participation of many countries such as India, China, Japan, the United States, Russia, Pakistan and the European Union nations.

Warships operating in this region to combat piracy are authorised by the United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2383 (2017) to board vessels suspected of illegal activities.