Archive · 17 Sep 2026
India Rescued 23 Pakistani Sailors Before Warships Traded Dents
An Iranian-flagged fishing boat called Al-Kambar 786 was hijacked near Socotra.
It had 23 Pakistani sailors aboard.
Two Indian Navy ships, INS Sumedha and INS Trishul, went to help.
The operation lasted more than 12 hours.
Nine pirates surrendered, and all the sailors were rescued safely.
Later, Indian forces helped Seychelles and Sri Lankan navies recover another hijacked boat.
The article says these rescues happened before Indian and Pakistani warships later traded dents.
It does not provide details about those later clashes.
INS Sumedha and INS Trishul responded to the hijacking of the Iranian-flagged fishing vessel Al-Kambar 786.
The vessel was hijacked about 90 nautical miles southwest of Socotra.
After more than 12 hours, nine pirates surrendered and 23 Pakistani crew members were freed unharmed.
Later that month, Indian forces helped Seychelles and Sri Lankan navies recover a hijacked Sri Lankan boat off Somalia.
The article contrasts India’s maritime rescue of Pakistani sailors with later clashes involving Indian and Pakistani warships.
- Who
- The Indian Navy, nine pirates, 23 Pakistani crew members, and the crews of INS Sumedha and INS Trishul were involved; Indian forces later assisted Seychelles and Sri Lankan navies.
- What
- Indian forces helped end the hijacking of Al-Kambar 786 and rescued 23 Pakistani sailors unharmed.
- When
- The rescue occurred two months after an earlier event mentioned in the article; another recovery happened later that month.
- Where
- Al-Kambar 786 was about 90 nautical miles southwest of Socotra, while the later Sri Lankan boat recovery occurred off Somalia.
- Why
- The Indian Navy intervened because the vessels had been hijacked and the crews needed to be freed.
- Rescued crew
- 23 Pakistani sailors
- Vessel
- Al-Kambar 786, an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel
- Location
- About 90 nautical miles southwest of Socotra
- Indian ships
- INS Sumedha and INS Trishul
- Operation duration
- More than 12 hours
- Pirates
- Nine surrendered
- Additional assistance
- Indian forces later helped Seychelles and Sri Lankan navies recover a hijacked Sri Lankan boat off Somalia