At approximately 1745 EST, initial reports indicated that the Indian Navy attacked the Pirate held/M/V Ruen.
Somali Radio Codka Nabaada employee Sheikh Ahmed Caano Geel, who lives in Garacad, Mudug, Somalia made this report:
”Indian Navy attacked MV Ruen ship tonight in Indian Ocean, a strong fire caused the back part of ship with damage to the ship’s gearbox.Reports say some of the pirates were injured on the plane, while the crew shot two of the ship’s crew to stop the shooting.
Indian army refuses ships to reach the coast of Eyl district with the pirates of this ship demanding to be stopped or they will kill all the workers on it.“
This is the first military operation against the M/V Ruen since it was captured in December. The ship – which has a black hull, red deck and a yellow smokestack with a red horizontal stripe – was seen sailing eastward 160 nautical miles (296 km) southeast of Eyl, Somalia, according to the British Maritime Security company Ambrey. The pirates still hold the crew hostage and no ransom has been paid.
Multiple sources have purported that the pirates onboard M/V Ruen have been using the captured vessel as a mothership to enable attacks. The M/V Ruen was almost certainly used to capture the M/V Abdullah which was seized by more than 50 Somali pirates on Tuesday, March 12th. 50 pirates stormed the vessel about 600NM East of Mogadishu, lending credence that the M/V Ruen enabled them to carry out an attack so far from the Somali littorals.
As of this morning the M/V Abdullah was moored off the coast of Somalia. The M/V Ruen was spotted shortly after, probably leading the Indian Navy to launch an operation to recapture it.
The battle is reportedly ongoing. Check back for updates.
