National Desk, 17th March: In a daring operation, the Indian Navy successfully thwarted a pirate attack and rescued 17 crew members from a merchant ship located approximately 1,400 nautical miles away from the Indian coast. According to officials, 35 pirates were forced to surrender during the operation, ensuring the safe evacuation of the crew.
Utilizing a coordinated approach, the Navy deployed its assets including the P-8I maritime patrol aircraft, frontline ships INS Kolkata and INS Subhadra, and a high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) unmanned aerial vehicle. Additionally, MARCOS commandos were air-dropped by a C-17 aircraft to neutralize the threat posed by the pirates.
The merchant ship, MV Ruen, had been hijacked by Somali pirates three months prior and was suspected of being used for acts of piracy in the high seas. Over the past 40 hours, INS Kolkata successfully cornered the pirates, compelling them to surrender and ensuring the safe evacuation of the crew members.
This successful operation follows recent instances of piracy threats in the Western Indian Ocean, where the Indian Navy has played a crucial role in safeguarding merchant vessels. In January, INS Sumitra rescued 19 Pakistani crew members from a fishing vessel attacked by pirates off the east coast of Somalia, demonstrating India’s commitment to maritime security in the region.
Read More: Dispute Over Meeting on Frontier Nagaland Territory Persists Amid Public Emergency