The Indian Navy is closely monitoring the situation surrounding a hijacked merchant ship, which was reported last evening near Somalia’s coast, military officials said on Friday. The Liberian-flagged ship ‘MV Lila Norfolk’ is believed to have 15 Indian crew members on board, reported ANI citing the officials.

According to the officials, Indian Navy aircraft have been deployed to keep a vigilant watch on the hijacked ship’s movements. Communication has been successfully established with the crew, providing a crucial link to assess the situation on board.

Indian Navy warship INS Chennai is moving towards the hijacked vessel to tackle the situation, the officials added.

Details surrounding the hijacking, including the identity of the perpetrators, remain undisclosed at this time.

The hijacking incident occurred days after a Maltese-flagged merchant vessel was seized by unknown attackers in the Arabian Sea, putting piracy in the back in the spotlight. Pirate attacks in the region peaked between 2008 and 2013 but had steadily declined thereafter because of the concerted efforts of the multi-national maritime task force including the Indian Navy.

(This is a developing story…please check back for updates)