On Friday, the Indian Navy swiftly acted in response to a maritime incident occurring in the Arabian Sea, which involved the hijacking of a vessel flying the flag of Malta and carrying 18 crew members.
The Navy’s maritime patrol aircraft engaged in surveillance in the region, along with its warship conducting anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden, were dispatched to locate and provide assistance to the distressed vessel, MV Ruen, following the receipt of a distress call.
The reported hijacking attempt occurred on Thursday, and officials stated that the Indian Navy dispatched its mission-deployed platforms to the incident area early on Friday.
The Navy reported that its aircraft conducted surveillance over the hijacked vessel and has been consistently monitoring its movements. The vessel is currently heading towards the coast of Somalia.
“In prompt response to the evolving situation, the Indian Navy redirected its naval maritime patrol aircraft, engaged in surveillance in the area, and its warship on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate and provide assistance to MV Ruen,” stated an Indian Navy spokesperson.
“The aircraft conducted a flyover of the hijacked vessel in the early morning of December 15, and it has been consistently monitoring the vessel’s movement, which is currently directed towards the coast of Somalia,” he stated.
The official mentioned that the Indian Navy’s warship, assigned to the Gulf of Aden for anti-piracy patrol, intercepted the MV Ruen on Saturday morning.
He mentioned that the entire situation is under close monitoring, with coordination being maintained with other agencies in the region.
The official emphasized that the Indian Navy is dedicated to acting as the primary responder in the region, ensuring the safety of merchant shipping in collaboration with international partners and friendly foreign countries.