Indian Navy launches operation to rescue crew of ship MV Ruen hijacked by pirates

Indian Navy's Marine Commandos have initiated a significant operation to rescue the crew of the hijacked merchant vessel MV Ruen from Somali pirates, according to reports quoting Indian Navy officials. 

The intercepted vessel, which was hijacked on December 14, 2023, is believed to have around 25 pirates on board. It is suggested that the pirates could be using the vessel as a base for piracy activities in nearby regions. 

As per the information given by the crew, there are a large number of pirates present on the vessel. The Marine Commandos have established communication with pirates and warned them to surrender. If the pirates don't surrender, the Navy has given permission to commandos to take action against them, confirmed Indian Navy officials.

The vessel has a crew of over 15 individuals from Bulgaria, Angola, and Myanmar. 

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Upon interception, the pirates fired at the Indian warship, in response to which the Navy is taking necessary action following international law to counter piracy. The Navy has ordered the pirates to surrender and release the civilians they may be held captive. 

In recent weeks, the Indian Navy has provided aid to several merchant vessels in the Western Indian Ocean following pirate attacks. 

Other notable actions include the foiling of a piracy attempt on an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel and the rescue of 19 Pakistani crew from another Iranian-flagged vessel in January. 

The Navy also prevented a hijacking attempt of the Liberian-flagged vessel MV Lila Norfolk and rescued its entire crew. In light of the current maritime environment, the Navy has increased the deployment of its frontline ships and surveillance aircraft for maritime security operations, especially in the North and Central Arabian Sea.