RUEN
Latest ports
Latest Waypoints
Latest news
Life imprisonment for 44 pirates
A Special Court In Mumbai gave a life imprisonment verdict to the 44 Somali Pirates in two different judgments. The pirates pleaded guilty to the charges after they were arrested in anti-piracy operations by the Indian Armed Forces in 2024. 35 of them were tried for hijacking the 'Ruen-, and the remaining nine were sentenced for hijacking the Iranian fishing vessel 'Al-Kambar 786'. All the accused were present in court, and on July 6, 2026, the 34 pirates involved in the 'Ruen' case signed a written plea where they admitted being guilty of the crime. They also wrote that they faced hardships during the two years of judicial custody due to linguistic, dietary and cultural barriers and also the absence of any form of support. They also mentioned that charges against them had been framed on May 13, after considerable delays. After having understood all the charges against them, they voluntarily pleaded guilty without any coercion or pressure, despite knowing that the offences could lead to maximum punishment, but requested the court to be lenient in its decision, saying they come from poor families and from an allied country. They also pleaded for a minimum possible sentence, with any possible diplomatic arrangements between Somalia and India. A similar plea was put forward by the accused in the 'Al-Kambar 786' case, who were arrested in 2024. The proceedings began after submissions by Special Public Prosecutor Ranjit Sangle. Charges against them were pressed under the Indian Penal Code, Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, Passport Act, and Foreigners Act. These were explained to one of the accused, named Li Jama, in English, who then explained it to the others, ensuring they understood the proceedings and the charges against them clearly.
Wing Commander of the Indian Air Force awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for bravery in anti-piracy operation
Wing Commander Akshay Saxena of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been awarded the Vayu Sena Medal for his exemplary bravery in a high-risk anti-piracy operation and rescuing the 'Ruen' from Somali pirates. On Dec 14, 2023, the pirates hijacked the vessel about 380 nautical miles east of Socotra Island, in the Arabian Sea. They took 17 crew members hostage and sailed the vessel towards the Somali coast, where they began negotiations with the shipowner. However, instead of anchoring off Somalia, the pirates decided to set sail again, likely intending to use the 'Ruen' as a mother ship for launching attacks on other vessels in the Indian Ocean. On March 15, 2024, an Indian Navy long-range maritime patrol intercepted the ship about 260 nautical miles east of Somalia. The Indian Warships INS 'Kolkata' and INS 'Subhadra' were positioned alongside the hijacked vessel. In response, the pirates opened fire on the warships and shot down one of 'Kolkata'’s surveillance drones. The Indian military then quickly deployed a team of 18 marine commandos (Marcos) and an IAF C-17 transport aircraft for a precision airdrop mission. Wing Commander Akshay Saxena, as the pilot of the C-17, led the operation that involved the insertion of the commandos into the sea near the 'Ruen'. This risky operation required Saxena to navigate through a third country’s airspace for nearly four hours without authorisation and in complete secrecy. Saxena flew the C-17 at a low level, turning off all the aircraft’s communication systems to avoid detection. As they approached the drop zone, the location was changed, requiring the crew to adapt quickly. Despite the change, Saxena executed the airdrop smoothly, dropping the 18 commandos and their inflatable boats into the water near the 'Ruen'. The commandos boarded the vessel, confronted 35 pirates aboard, and forced them to stand down and surrender. The Indian Ministry of Defense commended Saxena for his “flawless execution of an extremely gruelling mission” and for displaying “exceptional courage, dynamic leadership, outstanding professionalism, and steadfast determination.” He maintained situational awareness during the operation, which lasted for over 10 hours. The rescue of the 'Ruen' also marked the first-ever insertion of marine commandos via airdrop on the high seas, proving India’s readiness to handle piracy threats in distant waters. The Indian Navy has also recommended Lieutenant Commander Sourabh Malik for a gallantry award. Malik and his Commando squad carried out an opposed boarding of the fishing vessel 'Omari' on Feb 2, 2024. Despite the hijackers’ attempts to stop the boarding with heavy and constant small arms fire, they captured seven armed pirates and freed 19 fishermen. Report with photos: https://www.marineinsight.com/shipping-news/iaf-pilot-honoured-for-10-hour-mission-to-rescue-hijacked-ship-from-somali-pirates/
Captured pirates landed in Mumbai facing harsh punishment
The 35 pirates are to be prosecuted for the hijacking of the 'Ruen' were were brought in for prosecution by the Indian Navy, at the Naval Dockyard in Mumbai on March 23, days after its navy recaptured a hijacked bulk carrier and rescued several hostages. The destroyer INS 'Kolkata', which led the rescue operation, docked in the port early on March 23. The Somalis were expected to be transferred to police custody later that day. This marked the first time in more than a decade that pirates captured at sea would be brought to Indian shores to face trial. Under India’s anti-piracy laws, the men could face the death sentence if they were convicted of a killing or an attempted killing, and life imprisonment for piracy alone. Regarding the 'Ruen', the 17 crew members were duly shifted to Indian Naval ships. The Navy then sent in its specialists to sanitise the ship and ensure it had no arms, ammunition or contraband on board. It also had to assess the seaworthiness and carry out some essential repairs with the help of a naval technical team to ready the merchant ship for further voyage. The M/s Navibulgar, the shipping company that owned the vessel, requested that the captain and crew be reinstated on the 'Ruen'. The crew was again shifted mid-sea from the INS 'Kolkata' onto the bulk carrier, which then proceeded under own power to the next port of Salalah. The destination was decided by the company. The Indian Navy warship INS 'Subhadra' escorted the vessel to ensure its security against another possible pirate attack. Report with photos: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/23/captured-somali-pirates-arrive-in-india-to-face-trial-over-ship-hijacking
Upload News