Indian Navy coerces 35 Somali pirates to surrender in 40-hour operation

New Delhi: Indian Navy's INS Kolkata on Saturday rescued 17 crew members of ex-MV Ruen hijacked on December 14 last year, and coerced all 35 Somali pirates to surrender.

The 40-hour operation ended in the evening and all the crew members were rescued without any injury.

According to the Navy, INS Kolkata had carried out the interception of the Pirate Ship Ruen almost 2600 km from the Indian Coast and forced the pirate ship to stop through calibrated actions which were augmented by INS Subhadra, HALE RPA, P8I maritime patrol aircraft and MARCOS - PRAHARs air-dropped by C-17 aircraft.

The vessel has also been sanitised for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition and contraband.

Earlier in the morning, the Navy said that it had thwarted designs of Somali pirates to hijack ships plying through the region by intercepting ex-MV Ruen.

The Navy said that the ex-MV Ruen, which had been hijacked by Somali pirates on December 14 last year, was reported to have sailed out as a pirate ship for conducting acts of piracy on the high seas.

However, the vessel was intercepted by an Indian Navy warship on Friday.

The vessel opened fire on the warship, which took action as per international law, in self-defence and to counter piracy, with minimal force necessary to neutralise the pirates’ threat to shipping and seafarers.

The pirates onboard the ex-MV Ruen were called upon to surrender and release the vessel and any civilians they were holding against their will.

An official said that the Navy was committed to maritime security and the safety of seafarers in the region.

IANS with edits