NEW DELHI: In a dramatic turn of events, a Spanish navy ship is racing towards a Maltese-flagged commercial vessel suspected to have been hijacked by pirates off Somalia, as reported by the European Union's Somali counter-piracy force on Friday.
If confirmed, this incident marks the first successful hijacking by
Somali pirates
since the year 2017 when a multinational effort by international navies curbed a surge of seizures in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
The EUNAVFOR's joint operations center in Spain received an alert on Thursday about the vessel in question, the "alleged pirate-hijacked vessel"
Ruen
, positioned approximately 500 nautical miles east of Socotra Island, off Somalia.
Reports from Somalia's breakaway Puntland region indicate that pirates may have successfully seized a vessel. A member of a group with a history of organizing ship raids shared that "Six of my pirate friends managed to capture a ship and they will bring it to the coast of the eastern region of Puntland."
The Spanish warship Victoria has been dispatched to the scene to gather more information and assess the situation. EUNAVFOR emphasizes its vigilance regarding this piracy-related event and others in the northwest Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, coordinating efforts with the broader international naval Combined Maritime Force.
British maritime security company Ambrey believes the Ruen has indeed been hijacked by pirates. Earlier on Friday, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) received a report from a ship's security officer stating that the vessel's crew no longer had control, and it was headed towards Somalia.
The Ruen, managed by Bulgaria's Navigation Maritime Bulgare, was last spotted sailing towards Somalia in the open sea. EUNAVFOR continues to coordinate with the international naval force to address the evolving situation.
Indian Navy joins the rffort in Arabian Sea
Simultaneously, in the Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy has responded swiftly to a hijacking incident involving the Malta-flagged vessel MV Ruen. The Navy diverted its Naval
Maritime Patrol
aircraft and a warship on Anti-Piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate and assist the Ruen.
On the morning of December 15, 2023, Indian Navy's aircraft flew over the hijacked vessel, and it has since been continuously monitoring its movement as it heads towards the coast of Somalia. The Indian Navy's warship, deployed for anti-piracy patrol, successfully intercepted the MV Ruen in the early hours of December 16, 2023, further contributing to the international efforts to combat piracy in the region.
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