New Delhi, (PTI) A day after capturing 35 Somali pirates and freeing 17 hostages held by them in a dramatic operation, the Indian Navy on Sunday said the action reflects its resolve to reinforcing peace and stability in the Indian Ocean and thwarting resurgence of piracy in the region.
The Navy seized former Maltese-flagged merchant vessel (MV) Ruen on Saturday around 2,600 km off the Indian coast in a well-calibrated operation that experts say was the first such successful takeover of a vessel from Somali pirates in the last around seven years.
The nearly-40-hour operation saw the Navy deploying its stealth-guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata, patrol vessel INS Subhadra, long-endurance Sea Guardian drones, besides airdropping of elite marine commandos — MARCOS — using a C-17 aircraft.
