India brought 35 accused Somali pirates to Mumbai, days after they were apprehended when naval commandos recaptured a hijacked bulk carrier and rescued several hostages.
The December hijacking of the Maltese-flagged MV Ruen was the first time since 2017 that any cargo vessel had been successfully boarded by Somali pirates.
Indian commandos boarded and took control of the vessel on March 17 some 260 nautical miles (480 kilometers) off the coast of Somalia.
The destroyer INS Kolkata, which led the rescue operation, arrived in Mumbai early on Saturday carrying all 35 men accused of the hijacking, a navy statement said.
It added that the operation “upheld the principles of international law and commitment to ensuring safe seas and maritime security in the region.”
The men are expected to be transferred to police custody.
Navy spokesperson Vivek Madhwal said this week marked the first time in more than a decade that men captured at sea would be brought to Indian shores to face trial for piracy.
Last Saturday’s rescue was the culmination of a 40-hour operation.
Commandos parachuted out of a military C-17 airplane to board the vessel in an assault that “successfully cornered and coerced” all 35 pirates aboard to surrender, an earlier navy statement said.
In the process, they freed the MV Ruen’s 17 crew members — nine from Myanmar, seven from Bulgaria and one from Angola — none of whom were injured in the rescue.
