RUEN

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Captured pirates landed in Mumbai facing harsh punishment

The 35 pirates are to be prosecuted for the hijacking of the 'Ruen' were were brought in for prosecution by the Indian Navy, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on March 23, days after its navy recaptured a hijacked bulk carrier and rescued several hostages. The destroyer INS 'Kolkata', which led the rescue operation, docked in the port early on March 23. The Somalis were expected to be transferred to police custody later that day. This marked the first time in more than a decade that pirates captured at sea would be brought to Indian shores to face trial. Under India’s anti-piracy laws, the men could face the death sentence if they were convicted of a killing or an attempted killing, and life imprisonment for piracy alone. Regarding the 'Ruen', the 17 crew members were duly shifted to Indian Naval ships. The Navy then sent in its specialists to sanitise the ship and ensure it had no arms, ammunition or contraband on board. It also had to assess the seaworthiness and carry out some essential repairs with the help of a naval technical team to ready the merchant ship for further voyage. The M/s Navibulgar, the shipping company that owned the vessel, requested that the captain and crew be reinstated on the 'Ruen'. The crew was again shifted mid-sea from the INS 'Kolkata' onto the bulk carrier, which then proceeded under own power to the next port of Salalah. The destination was decided by the company. The Indian Navy warship INS 'Subhadra' escorted the vessel to ensure its security against another possible pirate attack. Report with photos: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/23/captured-somali-pirates-arrive-in-india-to-face-trial-over-ship-hijacking

Operation of Indian Navy showed capabilities - Bulgarian president thanked

The Indian Navy’s re-capturing of the 'Ruen' from pirates off Somalia’s coast has showed how Delhi’s military has developed special forces capabilities on par with some of the world’s best, analysts said. The operation involved a navy destroyer, a patrol ship, an Indian Air Force C-17 transporter flying more than 1,500 miles to airdrop marine commandos, a naval drone, a reconnaissance drone and a P-8 surveillance jet. The success of the operation marks the Indian Navy as a top-class force in terms of training, command and control and other capabilities, according to the Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs. The risk was minimized by using a coordinated force that includes use of a warship, drones, fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, and marine commandos. Spanish, Japanese and Indian warships had tracked the bulk carrier as it was taken into Somali territorial waters. When the 'Ruen', now operated by a pirate crew, last week left Somali waters with the intent of committing acts of piracy on the high seas, the Indian Navy made moves to intercept it. The destroyer INS 'Kolkata', operating in the area to help ensure international maritime security, used a ship-launched drone to confirm the 'Ruen' was being operated by armed pirates. After the pirates fired on the drone, destroying it, and then on the Indian warship itself, the INS 'Kolkata' responded by firing on the 'Ruen', disabling its steering and navigation. As the INS 'Kolkata' sought the surrender of the pirates, the commandos parachuted in after a 10-hour flight from India. Rafts were also dropped into the ocean from the large transport for marines to reach the 'Ruen'. The Indian show of force proved too much for the pirates. Due to sustained pressure and calibrated actions by the Indian Navy over the last 40 hours, all 35 Somali pirates surrendered. Bulgarian leaders, including President Rumen Radev, thanked India and its Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the operation. The incident highlighted the professionalism of the Indian Navy, and Delhi’s marine commando force, known as MARCOS, had learned from its US and British counterparts. The captured pirates were due to arrive in India on March 23 and will be handed over to the law enforcement agencies for prosecution.

Pirates will be brought to trial in India

The 35 Somali pirates who surrendered to the Indian navy after it freed the'Ruen' are being brought back to India to stand trial. The pirates had hijacked the bulk carrier with the intention of using it as a mothership to launch attacks on other commercial vessels in the region. They also shot down a small observation drone flown from the destroyer INS 'Kolkata' during the rescue operation. The pirates opened fire on the warship, thereby implicating in an act of aggression against the Indian Navy, which is why they are being brought back to India. In a calibrated response in line with international laws, the INS 'Kolkata' disabled the ship's steering system and navigation aids, forcing it to stop. The Indian Navy forced the pirates to surrender and secured the release of 17 crew members from Bulgaria, Angola and the Myanmar, without any injuries. The pirates will be prosecuted in accordance with international law and guidelines. There was concern that if these pirates were allowed to leave, they could regroup and restart their attacks.