Indian Navy tails hijacked vessel headed for Somalia

The Indian Navy is tailing a merchant ship that was seized by unknown attackers in the Arabian Sea on Thursday and is now heading towards the Somali coast, with a P-8I maritime patrol aircraft and a front-line warship carefully monitoring its course, officials aware on the matter said on Saturday.

- Rahul Singh

The European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation Atalanta - the EU maritime security operation in the western Indian Ocean – has also swung into action to join the anti-piracy effort in the vast expanse, the officials said.

The Indian Navy was the first to locate and intercept the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen carrying 18 sailors, they added, asking not to be named.

“Responding swiftly to the developing situation, the Indian Navy diverted its maritime patrol aircraft undertaking surveillance in the area and its warship on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate and assist MV Ruen,” navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.

The aircraft flew over the hijacked vessel early Friday morning and the warship intercepted it 24 hours later, Madhwal said in a statement.

“The Indian Navy’s mission deployed platforms responded swiftly to the hijacking incident in the Arabian Sea. The vessel, with 18 crew onboard, had sent a Mayday message on the UKMTO portal on December 14, indicating that it had been boarded by six unknown personnel. Aircraft have been continuously monitoring the movement of the vessel, which is now heading towards the coast of Somalia.”