The INS Kolkata, deployed on a mission in the Arabian Sea, successfully prevented Somali pirates from hijacking ships passing through the region by intercepting the pirate ship MV Ruen on 16 Mar 24 after over 40 hours of continuous operations.
The merchant vessel had been under the control of the pirates since December 2023. The Indian Navy, as part of Maritime Security Operations, has been conducting thorough surveillance in the area, including monitoring traffic in key zones. By analyzing surveillance data, the Indian Navy managed to track the movement of the Pirate Ship Ruen and directed INS Kolkata to intercept it around 260 Nautical miles East of Somalia.
Kolkata intercepted Ruen on the morning of 15 Mar 24, confirmed the presence of armed pirates using a ship-launched drone, and after the pirates shot down the drone and fired at the Indian Naval warship, Kolkata disabled the ship’s steering system and navigational aids, compelling the Pirate Ship to halt. INS Kolkata executed precise actions while staying close to the Pirate Ship, engaging in negotiations that led to the Pirates surrendering and releasing the pirate ship MV Ruen along with its original crew.
The Indian Navy’s efforts in the anti-piracy operation, 1400 nautical miles from mainland India, were reinforced by the deployment of INS Subhadra in the area on 16 Mar 24, as well as the air-dropping of Marine Commandos (PRAHARS) by a C-17 aircraft later that afternoon. Furthermore, the pirate vessel was monitored by HALE RPA and P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Thanks to the sustained pressure and calculated actions by the Indian Navy over the past 40 hours, all 35 Somali pirates surrendered on 16 Mar 24. The 17 original crew members of MV Ruen were safely evacuated from the pirate vessel without any harm.