The Indian Navy announced on Saturday that it had recaptured the ship and rescued its crew from Somali pirates off the coast of India, ending a three-month hijacking of the bulk carrier MV Luen.
The December 2023 hijacking was the first time Somali pirates successfully boarded a cargo ship since 2017.
“Over the past 40 hours, the Indian warship Kolkata has cornered all 35 pirates, forced their surrender, and ensured the safe evacuation of 17 crew members,” the navy said in a statement.
According to the Navy, Indian forces intercepted the MV Luen for the first time on Friday. “The ship opened fire on the warship in action.” [in accordance with] Comply with international law and respond to self-defense and piracy using the minimum force necessary to neutralize the threat of piracy to ships and seafarers. ”
There were no injuries among the rescued crew members in the operation, which involved several naval vessels, helicopters and other aircraft, the Navy said.
Bulgarian shipowner Nabi Bulgar called the release of the Luen “a great success not only for us but for the entire global maritime community…The resolution of this case proves that the safety of commercial ships will not be compromised.” praised.
Bulgaria’s Foreign Ministry said it was seeking the “immediate return home” of the seven rescued nationals. The other crew members were nine Burmese and one Angolan.
According to the military, the pirate ship was recaptured about 1,400 nautical miles (2,600 kilometers) from the Indian coast.
The Indian Navy had been monitoring the MV Luen since it was captured by Somali pirates 380 nautical miles east of Yemen’s Socotra Island.
At the time, the pirates released an injured Bulgarian sailor into the custody of the Indian Navy and took the MV Luen and its remaining crew of 17 to Puntland, a semi-autonomous state in Somalia. It was announced that the ship was moored offshore. The city of Bosaso.
The Indian military has stepped up anti-piracy efforts in recent months following an increase in maritime attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis in the Arabian Sea and Red Sea.
Pirate attacks off Somalia’s coast peaked in 2011, when armed groups carried out attacks as far as 3,655 kilometers (2,271 miles) from Somalia’s coast in the Indian Ocean, but have sharply declined in recent years.
The December 2023 attacks followed a surge in armed maritime attacks around the Horn of Africa not seen in recent years. Analysts say Somali piracy is nowhere near the 2011 threat that navies around the world responded to, but the recent escalation comes as a key trade corridor off Yemen’s coast is under siege. This has further heightened concerns about maritime security and shipping.
Somali pirates have traditionally sought to capture “mother ships” (powered dhows and fishing trawlers) that can cover longer distances and target larger vessels.
Experts say since the Houthi attack, cargo ships have become more vulnerable to attack as they slow down to wait for instructions on whether to proceed to the Red Sea.
with Agence France-Presse
