New Delhi: The Indian Navy reported on Saturday that one of its warships successfully intercepted the Malta-flagged commercial vessel MV Ruen, which was hijacked in the Arabian Sea and was being taken toward Somalia. The situation is currently unfolding, and the Indian Navy is closely monitoring the ship while also coordinating with other international agencies.
The MV Ruen, was carrying 18 crew members. It issued a Mayday message on Britain’s maritime body UKMTO portal on Thursday, indicating boarding by six unknown individuals.
Sources within the Navy stated, “Usually in such situations, you try to assess how things are on the ship. How is the crew? You try to establish communication with the crew or pirates.”
This incident marks the first successful hijacking involving Somali pirates since 2017 when international naval efforts curtailed a series of seizures in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. Responding promptly to the unfolding crisis, the Indian Navy diverted its naval maritime patrol aircraft, conducting surveillance in the area, and a warship on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate and assist MV Ruen.
The aircraft overflew the hijacked vessel early Friday morning, continuously monitoring its movement toward the coast of Somalia. “The Indian Navy’s warship, mission deployed in the Gulf of Aden for antipiracy patrol, intercepted MV Ruen in the early hours of December 16,” stated the Indian Navy. The overall situation is under close monitoring in coordination with other agencies and the MNF (Maritime Security Task Force) in the area.
