Mumbai, January 6, 2024

Successful Rescue Operation of Seafarers from Vessel 'Lila Norfolk'

The Directorate General of Shipping, Government of India is pleased to announce the successful rescue of 21 seafarers, including 15 Indians and 6 Filipinos, from the Liberian- flagged vessel ‘Lila Norfolk’, which was hijacked by Somali pirates on 4th January 2024.

The DG Shipping received information about the hijacking of the vessel from the Information Fusion Centre– Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), on 4th January night. The vessel was 450 nautical miles east of Somalia and was enroute from Port Du Aco (Brazil) to Khalifa Bin Salman (Bahrain).

The DGS immediately established contact with the Recruitment and Placement Services (RPS), the owner and managers maintaining continuous coordination with them along with IFC-IOR and the Indian Navy, throughout the entire incident.

The Indian Navy deployed INS Chennai and its aircrafts to locate and intercept the vessel. The owners also maintained contact with the Master of the vessel. The Master reported that shots were fired, causing damage to the Navigation Bridge Wing Glasses. 20 crew members, including the Master, had secured themselves inside the citadel. Unfortunately, one Indian seafarer (Rank-Able Seaman) could not reach the citadel and his whereabouts were unknown at that time.

In adherence to the Contingency Anti-Piracy Plan (CAPP), the Directorate General of Shipping conveyed relevant inputs to all the inter-governmental agencies and coordinated with them to enable the Indian Navy to board the vessel.

An Indian Naval warship intercepted the vessel late in the evening. The owners of the vessel permitted the Indian Navy to intervene on board the vessel and take necessary action. Regular communication was maintained with the Next of Kin by RPS to keep them updated.

The armed intervention was thereafter carried out by the Indian Navy when their Marine Commandos (MARCOS) boarded the vessel and sanitized the vessel. The MARCOS later on went to the citadel and rescued the seafarers. The one missing seafarer was also located and rescued. The pirates were not discovered on the vessel, indicating that they had already disembarked before the Indian Naval MARCOS boarding.

The vessel Lila Norfolk and all the 21 crew members (including the 15 Indian seafarers) are safe and sound. The MARCOS later disembarked and the vessel resumed its course to the next port in Bahrain.

The DGS expresses its gratitude to all the intergovernmental agencies, especially IFC-IOR, the owners, and the RPS for their timely and coordinated efforts in ensuring the safety and security of the seafarers. We extend a special acknowledgment to the Indian Navy for their prompt and effective action throughout this mission, in rescuing the crew and demonstrating their commendable efforts with dedication to maritime security. The DGS also commends the courage and resilience of the seafarers who faced the ordeal of piracy with fortitude. The Directorate reaffirms its commitment to the welfare and well-being of Indian seafarers and assures them of its full support and assistance in any situation.