By Trend News Line 2024-03-20 10:55:00.
Indian Navy to Prosecute Somali Pirates
In a bold move, the Indian Navy has announced that it will bring in and prosecute 35 Somali pirates captured on a hijacked ship off the coast of Somalia. This decision marks a departure from the recent practice of simply rescuing vessels and crew without taking legal action against the disarmed pirates.
You may also like to watch : Who Is Kamala Harris? Biography - Parents - Husband - Sister - Career - Indian - Jamaican Heritage
The captured pirates are set to arrive in India on Saturday, where they will be handed over to law enforcement agencies for further proceedings. The exact charges against the pirates have not been disclosed at this time.
Rescue of MV Ruen
The Indian Navy’s commandos successfully managed to release the Malta-flagged commercial ship MV Ruen, which had been hijacked by Somali pirates on December 14th, 450 nautical miles east of Socotra in the northern Arabian Sea. This incident marked the first hijacking of a merchant ship by Somali pirates since 2017.
During the peak of Somali pirate attacks in 2011, they cost the global economy an estimated $7 billion, including millions of dollars in ransom payments. While India used to prosecute and jail pirates involved in major attacks, they have recently left pirates at sea. The pirates from the MV Ruen will be the first to be prosecuted by India in years.
Increased Naval Presence
India has deployed at least a dozen warships in the Gulf of Aden and the northern Arabian Sea since December to secure shipping routes under attack from Yemen’s Houthi militants. The Indian Navy has been conducting continuous surveillance activities in the region using aerial platforms and information gathered from other vessels.
You may also like to watch: Is US-NATO Prepared For A Potential Nuclear War With Russia - China And North Korea?
On March 14th, the Ruen was spotted off the Somali coast by British maritime security firm Ambrey. The pirates had converted the Ruen into a mother-ship, using smaller boats to launch attacks on other vessels. The Indian Navy intercepted the ship on March 15th, releasing it from the pirates’ control.
Recent Hijacking of MV Abdullah
In a separate incident, another merchant vessel, MV Abdullah, was hijacked off the coast of Somalia last week. Somali forces, along with foreign navies, are planning a coordinated attack to rescue the vessel and its crew.
The decision to prosecute the captured Somali pirates demonstrates India’s commitment to combating piracy in the region and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions. This proactive approach sends a strong message to would-be pirates that their criminal activities will not go unpunished..
– Somali pirates hijacked ship off Somalia
– India to prosecute pirates who hijacked ship off Somalia.
