The Indian Navy has been called upon once again to rescue a hijacked vessel. A video that has been shared by the Indian Navy shows a Somali pirate firing at a Navy helicopter as it approaches the hijacked ship. The incident is of Friday, that is, yesterday. The Malta-flagged bulk cargo vessel, ex- MV Ruen, was hijacked by pirates on December 14 and was used to conduct “acts of piracy”, the Navy said. The Malta-flagged tanker that had 18 crew members onboard despatched a Mayday message on December 14 that indicated it had been boarded by six (approximately) unknown persons. The vessel was reported to being used as a pirate ship to conduct further acts of piracy on the high seas.
On Friday, after an Indian Navy warship intercepted the hijacked vessel, the pirates opened fire. The short video clip shows a pirate walk onto the deck of the ship, aim his gun directly at the helicopter hovering over the hijacked vessel and fire twice.
“#IndianNavy thwarts designs of Somali pirates to hijack ships plying through the region by intercepting ex-MV Ruen. The ex-MV Ruen, which had been hijacked by Somali pirates on #14Dec 23, was reported to have sailed out as a pirate ship towards conducting acts of #piracy on high seas,” the Indian Navy said in a statement.
The Navy said it is now acting in self-defence. It has called on the pirates to surrender and release any hostages they may be holding.
“The vessel was intercepted by the #IndianNavy warship on #15Mar. The vessel opened fire on the warship, which is taking actions iaw international law, in self-defence & to counter piracy, with minimal force necessary to neutralise the pirates’ threat to shipping and seafarers. The pirates onboard the vessel have been called upon to surrender & release the vessel & any civilians they may be holding against their will,” the statement added.
The incident comes a day after the Indian Navy responded to an SOS call by a Bangladesh-flagged bulk carrier that was seized by pirates off the coast of Somalia. They pirates had taken the ship’s 23-member crew hostage earlier this week, the Navy said.
Bengali