India’s navy achieved a significant victory on Saturday by reclaiming a ship from Somali pirates off the Indian coast, bringing an end to the harrowing three-month takeover of the bulk carrier MV Ruen. The hijacking, which occurred in December 2023, marked the first successful boarding of a cargo vessel by Somali pirates since 2017.
According to the navy’s statement, the Indian warship Kolkata played a pivotal role in the operation. Over the span of 40 hours, coordinated efforts led to the surrender of all 35 pirates and the safe evacuation of 17 crew members. The navy disclosed that Indian forces initially intercepted the MV Ruen on Friday, with the vessel resorting to firing upon the warship. However, the Indian forces responded in accordance with international law, utilizing minimal force necessary to neutralize the threat posed by the pirates to shipping and seafarers.
Remarkably, none of the rescued crew members sustained injuries during the operation, which involved multiple naval vessels, helicopters, and other aircraft.
The release of the Ruen was hailed as a major success by its Bulgarian owner, Navibulgar, who emphasized its significance for the global maritime community. Bulgaria’s foreign ministry expressed its desire for the swift return of the seven rescued nationals, who were among the crew that included nine Burmese and one Angolan.
The pirated ship was recaptured approximately 1,400 nautical miles (2,600 kilometers) from the Indian coast, as confirmed by the military. The Indian navy had been monitoring the MV Ruen since its seizure by Somali pirates 380 nautical miles east of Yemen’s Socotra island. Following the initial capture, the pirates had taken the vessel and its remaining crew members to Somalia’s semi-autonomous state of Puntland, where it was anchored off the city of Bosaso.
India’s military has intensified anti-piracy efforts in recent months in response to an increase in maritime assaults, including incidents in the Arabian Sea and attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.
Pirate attacks off the Somali coast peaked in 2011 with gunmen launching attacks as far as 3,655 kilometres (2,271 miles) from the Somali coast in the Indian Ocean – before falling off sharply in recent years.
The December 2023 attack followed a spike in armed seaborne attacks around the Horn of Africa not seen in years. Analysts say Somali piracy poses nowhere near the threat it did in 2011, when navies around the world responded, but the recent upswing has raised further concerns about marine security and shipping at a time when crucial trade corridors off Yemen have come under siege.
Somali pirates have traditionally sought to capture a “mother ship” – a motorised dhow or fishing trawler – capable of sailing greater distances where they can target larger vessels.
Since the Houthi attacks, experts say, cargo ships have become more vulnerable to attack as they slow down to await instructions on whether to proceed to the Red Sea.
