The Navy captures the MV Ruen off the Indian coast, ending the three-month hijacking of the Maltese-flagged bulk carrier.
Indian naval forces, including special commandos, seized a cargo ship that had been hijacked by Somali pirates and rescued 17 crew members, a navy spokesman said.
In a post on social media platform , ammunition and contraband.
The MV Ruen was hijacked late last year and the navy said it intercepted it for the first time on Friday.
“The pirates aboard the ship have been asked to surrender and release the ship and any civilians they may be holding against their will,” the navy said in a statement.
“The Indian Navy remains committed to maritime security and protection of seafarers in the region,” he added.
The ship may have been used as a base for the seizure of a Bangladesh-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Somalia earlier this week, the European Union naval force said.
The hijacking of the Ruen in December was the first successful seizure of a ship involving Somali pirates since 2017, when an offensive by international navies halted a series of seizures in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
#INSKolkataIn the last 40 hours, through concerted actions successfully cornered and coerced all 35 Pirates to surrender and ensured the safe evacuation of 17 crew members this afternoon. #16march 24 from the pirate ship without any injuries.#INSKolkata had carried out the… pic.twitter.com/tmQq2fG8yE
– Navy Spokesperson (@indiannavy) March 16, 2024
Somali pirates have caused chaos in major global waterways for a decade, but had been dormant until attacks resurged late last year.
India has deployed at least a dozen warships to the eastern Red Sea to provide security against pirates as Western powers focus on attacks by Yemen's Houthis, backed by Iran.
The subcontinent's navy has also increased its surveillance of the Arabian Sea after a recent series of attacks in the region.
In January, the navy rescued all crew members of a Liberian-flagged merchant ship after its attempted hijacking in the Arabian Sea.
Since December 1, the Indian Navy has recorded at least 17 incidents of kidnapping, attempted kidnapping and suspicious approaches.
Data from the Indian Navy Information Fusion Center – Indian Ocean Region shows at least three hijackings in December.
