Kochi : In a swift and decisive response to rising maritime threats, the Indian Navy stealth frigate INS Trikand successfully neutralized a piracy attempt on the merchant vessel MV Golden Arsenal in the Gulf of Aden on July 1, 2026. The St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged bulk carrier, carrying 21 crew members including one Indian national, came under attack approximately 300 nautical miles east-northeast of Djibouti while transiting from Aden, Yemen. The ship reported damage to its bridge superstructure and adjoining compartments before the crew successfully retreated to the vessel’s secure citadel. Working in coordination with the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), INS Trikand was immediately diverted to intercept the vessel, while an Indian Navy P-8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft was deployed to provide critical aerial surveillance and reconnaissance over the area. On the morning of July 2, an armed boarding team from INS Trikand boarded and thoroughly sanitized MV Golden Arsenal, confirming that no attackers remained onboard. With the threat neutralized, the crew safely emerged from the citadel, and after a joint assessment of the vessel’s condition, the bulk carrier was cleared to resume its voyage. The successful operation underscores the Indian Navy’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding merchant shipping, countering piracy, and ensuring the safety of seafarers across the critical sea lanes of the Indian Ocean Region.
