INS Tabar: Difference between revisions

{{more citations needed|date=August 2022}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2022}}

{{Use Indian English|date=August 2022}}

On 11 November 2008, INS ''Tabar'' was called into action to fight off a pirate attack on an Indian ship, the 38,265-tonne [[bulk carrier]] owned by the [[Mumbai]]-based [[Great Eastern Shipping Company]] ''Jag Arnav'', and a Saudi-registered vessel, MV ''Timaha''. Both ships had crossed the Suez Canal when they were attacked by pirates who surrounded the vessel in small boats.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/PoliticsNation/Navy_saves_Jag_Arnav_from_Somalian_pirates/articleshow/3702258.cms | work=The Times Of India | title=Navy saves Jag Arnav from Somalian pirates | date=12 November 2022}}</ref> An Indian navy spokesman said there were no casualties in the operation. "Both the ships had crossed the Suez Canal and were a short distance away from Aden when the Saudi vessel was attacked by these boats, each carrying up to five pirates each. Our frigate patrolling the area responded to a distress call by "MV Timaha" and sent an attack helicopter carrying commandos which opened fire while the pirates were making repeated attempts to board the Saudi ship. While all this was on, the Indian cargo ship was attacked within the next 30 minutes.<ref>{{cite web |author=(AFP) &ndash; Nov 11, 2008 |url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g7xQvhjCSwce8l3PoE1BRngKeu-w |title=AFP: Indian warship fights off pirates in Gulf of Aden |date=2008-11-11 |access-date=2011-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521035837/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5g7xQvhjCSwce8l3PoE1BRngKeu-w |archive-date=21 May 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> As ''Jag Arnav'' was about {{convert|25|nmi|km|abbr=on}} away it gave a [[SOS|distress call]]. A [[Aerospatiale Alouette III|Chetak]] helicopter, carrying a team of ''[[MARCOS]]'' (Indian Navy Marine Commandos) personnel, was sent to the location of MV ''Jag Arnav''. After the ensuing battle, the team successfully thwarted the hijack attempt. The incident took place {{convert|60|nmi|km|abbr=on}} from the coast of Somalia.<ref name=TOI>{{cite news | url = http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Navy_foils_Indian_ship_hijack_off_Aden/articleshow/3699918.cms | title = Navy foils Indian ship's hijack attempt off Aden | work = [[Times of India]] | access-date = November 11, 2008 | first1=Rajat | last1=Pandit | date=11 November 2022}}</ref>  

The head of the [[International Maritime Bureau]]'s piracy reporting centre in [[Kuala Lumpur]], Noel Choong, said "If all warships do this, it will be a strong deterrent. But if it's just a rare case, then it won't work. It's about time that such a forceful action is taken. It's an action that everybody is waiting for. The [[United Nations]] and international community must decide how to solve this grave problem (of piracy). They must be more forceful in their action...[action should have been taken] years back or even last year when piracy was just starting&ndash;it's clearly getting worse and out of control."<ref name=BBC2>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7739171.stm |title=India praised for sinking pirates  |publisher=BBC News Online| access-date=2008-11-20 | date=20 November 2022}}</ref>

[[File:Anti piracy operations by INS Tabar, in the Gulf of Aden on November 18, 2008.jpg|thumb|Anti-piracy operations by INS ''Tabar'' in the Gulf of Aden on 18 November 2008]]Just over a week after the MV ''Jav Arnav'' incident, on 19 November 2008, the Indian Navy reported that INS ''Tabar'' had come under attack from pirates. The crew of INS ''Tabar'' requested that the pirate vessel stop to allow a search, but the pirates responded with a threat to sink ''Tabar'' if it came any closer. The pirates then opened fire on ''Tabar'' before the Indian navy responded by returning fire. After the retaliatory strike, it was reported that a large explosion occurred on the pirate vessel, rumoured to have been caused by the [[pirate]]s' weapons [[treasure trove|cache]]. The attack continued for about three to four more hours, and resulted in the sinking of the pirate's "mother-ship". INS ''Tabar'' also forced the abandonment of another pirate vessel, while several pirates managed to escape via a speedboat under the cover of darkness.<ref name=BBC>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7736885.stm |title=India 'sinks Somali pirate ship' |publisher=BBC News Online| access-date=2008-11-19 | date=19 November 2022}}</ref> Recalling the incident to media persons, an Indian naval spokesman, [[Commander]] Nirad Sinha, said that "INS ''Tabar'' encountered a pirate vessel south west of Oman with two speedboats in tow. This vessel was similar in description to the 'mother vessel' mentioned in various piracy bulletins. INS ''Tabar'' closed in on the vessel and asked her to stop for investigation. Pirates were seen roaming on the upper deck of the vessel with guns and rocket propelled grenade launchers. The vessel continued threatening calls and subsequently fired upon INS ''Tabar''."<ref name=Sify>{{cite web|url=http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14801616 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216151622/http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14801616 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-12-16 |title=Indian Navy frigate sinks Somali pirate ship |publisher=sify.com |access-date=2008-11-20}}</ref><ref name=NYT>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/world/africa/20pirate.html?partner=rss&emc=rss |title=Indian Navy Says It Sank Pirate Ship |work=New York Times |access-date=2008-11-20 | first1=Hari | last1=Kumar | first2=Alan | last2=Cowell | date=20 November 2022}}</ref><ref name=Times>{{cite news|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article5186821.ece |title=Indian Navy sinks pirate mothership during bold stand-off in Gulf of Aden |publisher=Times Online |access-date=2008-11-20 | location=London | first=Rhys | last=Blakely | date=19 November 2022}}</ref>

Reports later surfaced that the sunken "mother-ship" was originally a Thai fishing [[Naval trawler|trawler]], {{ship|FV|Ekawat Nava 5}}, captured by the pirates which still had the Thai crew captive on board. One sailor was reportedly still alive, another confirmed dead, and 14 sailors remained missing.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/11/25/thai.trawler.india.navy/index.html | work=CNN | title=Sunken 'pirate ship' was actually Thai trawler, owner says - CNN.com | access-date=5 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1209478 |title=Doubt raised over Tabar's Gulf action - India - DNA |publisher=Dnaindia.com |date=2008-11-26 |access-date=2011-02-01}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Did sunken pirate ship belong to Thailand? |url=http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080074077 |title=Did sunken pirate ship belong to Thailand? |publisher=NDTV.com |date=2008-11-25 |access-date=2011-02-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081220140216/http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080074077 |archive-date=20 December 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The surviving member of the trawler's crew was picked up by a passing ship after six days adrift on the ocean and was taken to Yemen where he informed the owner of the trawler of the events. The survivor said all the crew were tied up under the deck, except the captain and translator.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7749486.stm |title=India navy defends piracy sinking |publisher=BBC News Online| access-date=2008-11-26 | date=26 November 2022}}</ref>