The Indian Navy says it has gained control of a bulk carrier hijacked by Somali pirates and evacuated the ship’s 17 crew members.
All 35 pirates on board the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen surrendered and the vessel was checked for illegal arms, ammunition and contraband, according to a statement released on X. The operation took about 40 hours and featured drones, navy ships and marine commandos.
Early on Friday, gunmen on a bulk carrier fired on an Indian warship in international waters, prompting the navy to intercept the vessel about 2,600 kilometres (1,615 miles) off the Indian coast.
The ship was first hijacked by pirates on December 14 near Yemen’s Socotra island, 240 kilometres (150 miles) off Somalia.
Somali pirate activity has declined in recent years but there is growing concern it could resume amid political uncertainty and general chaos in the region, which includes attacks on ships by Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
India has recently begun using its naval power in international waters, including anti-piracy patrols and a much-publicised deployment near the Red Sea to protect ships from attacks during Israel’s war with Hamas.
