Indian navy evacuated 21 crew members from a bulk carrier targeted by hijackers in the Arabian Sea

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian navy commandos safely evacuated 21 crew members from a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier involved in a hijacking attempt in the Arabian Sea, the navy said Friday.

The MV Lila Norfolk sent a message on the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitoring portal that said five or six armed people had boarded the vessel Thursday evening, the navy said in a statement.

India's navy diverted a ship deployed for maritime security operations to assist the carrier, and a group of commandos boarded the vessel after monitoring its movement for several hours, the statement said.

No hijackers were found on board during a search by the commandos, the navy said in an update.

"The attempt of hijacking by the pirates was probably abandoned with the forceful warning by the Indian navy,” it said.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitor also reported on Friday that the search had been completed and no hijackers had been found on board.

Ambrey, a maritime intelligence firm, said earlier that the bulk carrier had started to drift 670 kilometers (420 miles) east of Hafun, Somalia.

A patrol aircraft flew over the Lila Norfolk early Friday and determined the safety of the crew, which included 15 Indians, the navy said. Cmdr. Mehul Karnik, a navy spokesperson, said the crew members relayed that they were operating the carrier from inside a strong room.

Following the evacuation, the Indian navy ship was providing support to restore power so the vessel could resume its voyage, the navy statement said.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault. There have been growing concerns about shipping in the region following attacks by Yemeni Houthi rebels.

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Jon Gambrell contributed from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.