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{{Short description|Hijacked trawler sunk by Indian Navy in 2022}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin
| display title = FV ''Ekawat Nava 5''
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|Ship country=Kiribati
|Ship flag=[[File:Flag of Kiribati.svg|40px|Kiribati]]
|Ship name=''Ekawat Nava 5''
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|Ship owner=Sirichai Fisheries
|Ship operator=Sirichai Fisheries
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|Ship captured=18 November 2008
|Ship fate=Sunk by gunfire on 18 November 2008
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'''FV ''Ekawat Nava 5''''' was a hijacked [[Kiribati]]-flagged, [[Thailand|Thai]]-owned deep-sea [[fishing trawler]] that was sunk by {{ship|INS|Tabar|F44|6}} of the [[Indian Navy]] on 18 November 2008.<ref name=ie-thaifish>{{cite news|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Indian-Navy-sank-our-vessel--14-crew-lost--says-Thai-fishing-firm/390675|title=Indian Navy sank our vessel, says Thai fishing firm|work=The Indian Express|date=26 November 2008|access-date=16 September 2022}}</ref> The trawler sank when a fire broke out on the vessel after INS ''Tabar'' retaliated to being fired upon by pirates on board. All but one crew member of the trawler were believed killed.

==Accounts of the incident==
{{Campaignbox Piracy in Somalia}}
''Ekawat Nava 5'' had a crew of 15 Thais and one Cambodian. It was travelling from Oman to Yemen when it was hijacked on 18 November 2008.<ref name=ie-thaifish/>

On the evening of 18 November, INS ''Tabar'' was on patrol {{convert|285|nmi|km}} southwest of [[Salalah]], [[Oman]] (near {{coord|14|17.15|N|50|15.7|E|type:landmark}}), when it spotted the hijacked trawler.<ref name=bbc-thaitrawler>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7749245.stm|title=Indian navy 'sank Thai trawler'|publisher=BBC News|date=25 November 2008|access-date=16 September 2022}}</ref> The vessel was identified by the frigate as a pirate [[mother ship]], as it had two speed boats in tow and men armed with [[rocket-propelled grenade]]s (RPGs) and assault rifles on its deck. The frigate ordered the trawler to be boarded for inspection. Upon being refused and threatened by the pirates, the frigate continued to follow the trawler.

The official account from the Indian Navy states that the pirates fired at the frigate with an RPG. The frigate fired back in retaliation. Explosions were later heard on board the trawler, possibly due to ammunition or fuel stored on its deck. The trawler sank as a result of the fire.<ref name=bbc-thaitrawler/><ref name=et-mothership>{{cite news|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2008-11-20/news/28479128_1_pirate-ins-tabar-aden|title=INS Tabar sinks pirate mother ship|work=The Economic Times|date=20 November 2008|access-date=16 September 2022}}</ref>

The Indian Navy reported that following the fire on board the vessel, it spotted only the two speed boats fleeing from the scene. It pursued the boats and found one abandoned. It lost track of the other boat in the darkness.<ref>{{cite news | title=Indian navy sinks suspected pirate "mother" ship |author=Sam Dolnick| agency = Agence France-Presse | url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gB7YMEDuCwwY9ncDOtPAkEI4-H2wD94I759G0 | date=19 November 2008 | access-date=19 November 2022}} {{Dead link|date=September 2022}}</ref>

An account of the incident narrated by the Thai representative of its owner, Sirichai Fisheries, based on information provided by a surviving Thai crew member, states that Somali pirates had boarded and just taken control of the trawler when INS ''Tabar'' arrived on the scene. The crewmember's account stated that the trawler had not been used as a pirate mother ship.<ref name=ie-thaifish/><ref name=bbc-thaitrawler/><ref name=toi-foil>{{cite news | title=Indian navy foils another attack by Somali pirates | url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-11-19/india/27900984_1_somali-pirates-mother-vessel-ins-tabar | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022111958/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2008-11-19/india/27900984_1_somali-pirates-mother-vessel-ins-tabar | url-status=dead | archive-date=22 October 2012 | date=18 November 2008 | work=[[The Times of India]] | access-date=16 September 2022}}</ref>

Of the original crewmembers of the trawler, the only survivor was picked up by a passing merchant vessel, one was later confirmed dead, while 14 others were reported missing by the owner. The crew of INS ''Tabar'' reported seeing only the two motor boats fleeing from the scene of the incident in the darkness. They did not spot any of the original crew of the trawler. The fate of the remaining crew was unknown.<ref name=yahoo-hijack>{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081119/ap_on_re_as/piracy |title=Somali pirates hijack Thai fishing boat, 16 crew |last=Dolnick |first=Sam |date=19 November 2008 |agency=Associated Press |access-date=20 November 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201101021/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081119/ap_on_re_as/piracy |archive-date=1 December 2008 }}</ref>

An account of the incident from the [[United States Department of State|US Department of State]], may have originally stated that the Indian Navy captured some of the pirates.<ref>{{cite news|title=Daily Press Briefing |author=Sean McCormack |publisher=US Dept. of State |url=https://2001-2009.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2008/nov/112068.htm |date=19 November 2008 |access-date=19 November 2008 }}</ref> This was however not confirmed by the Indian Navy.

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{Piracy in Somalia}}
{{2008 shipwrecks}}

[[Category:Piracy in Somalia]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 2008|Ekawat Nava 5]]
[[Category:Naval battles and engagements of Operation Island Watch|Ekawat Nava 5]]
[[Category:Combat incidents|Ekawat Nava 5]]
[[Category:Shipwrecks in the Indian Ocean]]
[[Category:Piracy in the Indian Ocean]]
[[Category:November 2008 events in India]]
[[Category:Naval battles involving India]]
[[Category:Indian Navy]]
[[Category:Naval history of India]]

FV Ekawat Nava 5 - Revision history

Bot at 06:10, 10 September 2022