Indian Navy rescues injured crew from hijacked ship MV Ruen, shifts him to INS Kochi for treatment

One of the sailors on board MV Ruen, which was hijacked by around six pirates, 680 nautical miles east of Bosaso, the commercial capital of Somalia’s breakaway Puntland region, was moved on Monday to Indian stealth destroyer INS Kochi for medical assistance following a bullet injury in firing by pirates, news agency ANI reported Tuesday.

The crew member had a bullet injury near his shoulder during the piracy incident but was reported to be stable.

The Indian Navy negotiated with the pirates and secured the release of the injured crew, who was given first-aid treatment on INS Kochi. Since he needed urgent medical attention, which was beyond the scope of the Indian warship, he was transferred to a port in Oman for specialist treatment.

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The Indian Navy swung into action after receiving a Mayday message on the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operation (UKMTO) portal on December 14.

INS Kochi with marine commandos on board was tailing the Maltese-flagged merchant vessel that was seized by unknown attackers in the Arabian Sea. MV Ruen was first located by an Indian Navy P-8I maritime patrol aircraft on December 15, and the warship intercepted it a day later. 

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"Responding swiftly to the developing situation, the Indian Navy diverted its naval maritime patrol aircraft undertaking surveillance in the area and its warship on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf Aden to locate and assist MV Ruen," PTI quoted the Indian Navy as saying.

"The aircraft overflew the hijacked vessel on the early morning of December 15 and the aircraft has been continuously monitoring the movement of the vessel, which is now heading towards the coast of Somalia," the Indian Navy added.

Navigation Maritime Bulgare (Navibulgar), the company managing the vessel, said it believed the vessel crew was no longer controlling the ship. Earlier the MV Ruen indicated that six 'pirates' had illegally boarded it. 

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The crew of MV Ruen are from Bulgaria, Angola and Myanmar.

At the time of the hijack, the ship was around 680 nautical miles east of Bosaso, according to a UKMTO security notification.

The Indian Navy said the hijacked ship has entered the territorial waters of Somalia, and the Indian naval force is keeping track of the evolving situation. The Indian Navy further said it remains committed to helping mariners at sea.