IN PIX: INS Godavari foils another piracy attempt

In a major development, INS Godavari has successfully foiled a piracy attempt on Greek ship MV Elinakos in the Gulf of Aden, a navy statement said on Tuesday. 

Eight Somali pirates attempted to hijack the Greek ship in the early morning of July 16. INS Godavari was escorting four other ships at the time in the Gulf of Aden, when she received the distress call.  

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INS Godavari was quick to launch a helicopter to locate the skiff being used by the pirates. She subsequently launched marine commandos to board the pirate boat.  

On being approached by the naval boat, they dumped their arms, ammunition and other piracy triggers. 

A German naval ship, the Niedersachsen, also coordinated with Godavari in the operation. INS Godavari continued with her escort mission, on completion of the operation.

INS Godavari has been deployed in anti-piracy escort operations in the Gulf of Aden since May 25, and has safely escorted 219 ships of various countries since then.

Last week, INS Godavari escorted a Pakistani ship, the MV Islamabad, with an all-Pakistani crew of 38. 

The Indian Navy has been deploying ships since 2008 in the Gulf of Aden for escorting merchant vessels and Indian Naval ships have escorted 1,665 ships successfully.