Mumbai : The Indian Navy, after successfully capturing 35 Somalian pirates, transferred them to the Mumbai Police on Saturday, following the completion of necessary customs and immigration procedures.
In a recent anti-piracy mission, the Indian Navy rescued 17 crew members from the vessel MV Ruen, apprehending 35 Somalian pirates in the process. This operation spanned two days and involved various assets, including a navy destroyer, a patrol ship, an Indian Air Force C-17 transporter for deploying marine commandos, as well as naval and reconnaissance drones, along with a P-8 surveillance jet.
#WATCH | Maharashtra | 35 Somalian pirates handed over to Mumbai Police after due formalities of Customs and Immigration. The pirates were captured by Indian Navy’s INS Kolkata after an Anti Piracy operation on 16th March.
Visuals from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. pic.twitter.com/026aup7Udc
— ANI (@ANI) March 23, 2024
Last December, Somali pirates seized the Bulgarian ship MV Ruen. However, when the Ruen attempted to engage in piracy outside Somali waters last week, the Indian Navy took action to intercept it.
Acting on intelligence, the Indian Navy tasked INS Kolkata with intercepting the pirate vessel Ruen. On March 15, INS Kolkata successfully intercepted Ruen, disabling its steering system and navigational aids, compelling it to halt.
As a result of the operation, the pirates surrendered, allowing the release of the pirate ship MV Ruen and its original crew.
The Indian Navy safely evacuated all 17 original crew members from MV Ruen on March 16, without any casualties. The 35 Somali pirates also surrendered on the same day.
Subsequently, on Saturday, the pirates were transferred to the custody of the Mumbai Police. They were taken from Naval Dockyard, Mumbai, to JJ Hospital for medical examinations.
Bulgarian leaders, including President Rumen Radev, expressed gratitude to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the successful operation.
President Radev conveyed his appreciation to PM Modi for the courageous action of the Navy in rescuing the hijacked Bulgarian ship ‘Ruen’ and its crew, which included 7 Bulgarian citizens.
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel also extended thanks to the Indian Navy for rescuing the seven Bulgarian nationals in the Arabian Sea during the anti-piracy operation. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar responded, affirming the essence of friendship in such endeavors.
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