The Indian Navy said it recaptured a vessel from Somali pirates off the Indian coast on Saturday, freeing its crew and ending a three-month takeover of the bulk carrier MV Ruen.
The December 2023 hijacking was the first time since 2017 that Somali pirates had successfully boarded a cargo ship.
The Indian Navy stated that the Indian warship INS Kolkata “through coordinated operations in the past 40 hours, successfully forced all 35 pirates to surrender and ensured the safe evacuation of 17 crew members.”
The Indian Navy said that Indian troops intercepted the “Roon” for the first time on Friday. “The ship opened fire on the warship which was taking action [in accordance with] International law, in order to self-defense and combat piracy, eliminate the threat of piracy to shipping and seafarers with minimal force. “
The navy said the operation was carried out by multiple naval ships as well as helicopters and other aircraft and that no one was injured.
Bulgarian shipowner Navibulgar hailed the release of the Ruen as “a major success not only for us, but for the entire global maritime community…The resolution of this case proves that the safety of commercial shipping will not be compromised.”
Bulgaria’s foreign ministry said it was seeking the “quick return” of the seven rescued nationals. Other crew members include nine Burmese and one Angolan.
The pirate ship was captured nearly 1,400 nautical miles (2,600 kilometers) off the coast of India, according to the military.
The Indian Navy has been monitoring the MV Ruen since it was hijacked by Somali pirates 380 nautical miles east of the Yemeni island of Socotra.
The pirates handed over an injured Bulgarian sailor to the care of the Indian Navy and then took the MV Ruen and its remaining 17 crew members to the semi-autonomous state of Puntland in Somalia, where the Indian Navy said the ship was anchored. Bosaso City.
The Indian military has stepped up anti-piracy efforts in recent months following an increase in maritime attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels and others in the Arabian Sea and Red Sea.
Piracy attacks off the Somali coast peaked in 2011, with militants launching attacks in the Indian Ocean as far as 3,655 kilometers (2,271 miles) off the Somali coast, but have declined sharply in recent years.
The attack in December 2023 followed a surge in armed maritime attacks around the Horn of Africa not seen in several years. Analysts say Somalia’s piracy poses far less of a threat than it did in 2011, when navies around the world responded, but the latest intensification comes amid a siege on a key trade corridor near Yemen. This raises further concerns about maritime safety and shipping.
Somali pirates traditionally seek to capture a “mother ship” – a motorized dhow or trawler – capable of traveling greater distances and thus targeting larger vessels.
Experts say cargo ships have become more vulnerable since the Houthi attack as they slow down to await instructions on whether to head to the Red Sea.
with AFP
