New Delhi
The Indian Navy has deployed an indigenous guided missile destroyer in the Gulf of Aden region in light of the piracy incident earlier this week, as per a release issued by the Defence Ministry. The move is aimed at augmenting the anti-piracy efforts in the Gulf of Aden region.
The Indian Navy remains committed to ensuring the safety of merchant shipping and rendering assistance to mariners at sea as a ‘first responder’ in the region, as per the release. On the night of December 14, a report regarding a potential piracy incident onboard a Malta-flagged vessel, MV Ruen, was monitored on the UKMTO portal. The vessel was reported to be boarded by six unknown personnel.
In a swift response, the Indian Navy’s Maritime Patrol Aircraft deployed to investigate the incident arrived overhead at MV Ruen on December 15 and established communication with the crew. All 18 crew members (no Indians onboard the MV) were reported to be safe in the citadel. Concurrently, in response to the incident, INS Kochi on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden was also diverted immediately to render assistance, as per the official release.
Meanwhile, INS Kochi intercepted MV Ruen in the early hours of December 16 and launched its integral helicopter to assess the situation. It was ascertained from the crew that the citadel onboard MV Ruen had been breached and all crew members were held hostage by the pirates.
