Mumbai Police arrest 35 Somali pirates handed over by Navy, all booked for kidnapping, extortion among other charges

An officer said, “The pirates had rented two boats to reach their targeted cargo ship and after travelling for several nautical miles in the Arabian Sea in those boats, the pirates hijacked the cargo ship with the help of weapons.”

The police officials added that the 35 pirates had taken over MV Ruen at about 260 nautical miles east of Somalia following which they abducted the crew members and demanded 60 million US dollars from the owner of the ship.
The pirates further threatened to kill the crew members if the owner failed to pay the ransom.

As a part of the anti-piracy operation, INS Kolkata was deployed in the Arabian Sea which managed to intercept pirate ship ex-MV Ruen early on March 15.

“Prior day break, the vessel upon sighting INS Kolkata reversed course and started heading towards the Somali coast. Several armed pirates were seen on upper deck of the ship,” the defence spokesperson said.

The officials further said that INS Kolkata directed the pirate ship to stop for investigation in accordance with International Law, especially the United Nations Conventions on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, the pirate ship refused to comply and instead opened fire.

INS Kolkata, thereafter, acted in self-defence and used kinetic measures required to disable the ship and compel the pirates to surrender.

“INS Subhadra joined INS Kolkata in the operation. Further, Indian Navy undertook long range deployment and para drop of Marine Commandos over sea in vicinity of the pirate ship using C17s in coordination with Indian Air Force. Aerial surveillance for the operation was undertaken by Indian Navy P8I aircraft, Sea Guardian UAV, and the ship’s integral helicopters and spotter drones,” the officials said.

After an operation of over 40 hours, the pirates on board surrendered before the Indian Navy.

The Navy personnel took the 35 pirates and the 17 crew members into custody.

“On request from the ship’s original company, M/s Navibulgar, and the Master, the crew of MV Ruen were reinstated on board the ship, which reverted her to earlier status and the ship hoisted the flag of Malta. MV Ruen thereupon proceeded under own power to the next port of Salalah (Oman), as decided by the company, under escort of INS Subhadra to safeguard it against further pirate attack,” the defence officials added.

A Mumbai police officer said, “We sought help from a translator to interrogate them during which we came to know that the pirates threw all their weapons in the sea, minutes before surrendering to the Indian Navy.”

The police officials said two white boats, three engines, nine mobile phones, 196 live cartridges, one down hair, a knife, a camera, a Somali passport, two Bulgarian passports and other documents were seized from the pirates.

A senior police officer said, “Medical tests were conducted of all the detainees following which the 35 pirates were formally placed under arrest.”