Somali pirates to face prosecution in India

NEW DELHI - At least 35 Somali pirates who were arrested along the Indian Ocean will be facing prosecution in India, authorities in the sub-continent said, in a case which could shape the investment towards protection of international waters across the world.

The 35 individuals who surrendered to the Indian Navy after it released the merchant vessel Ruen from their clutches are being brought back to India for prosecution. They will be facing charges of piracy, a crime that is steadily rising in the Indian Ocean.

The pirates had hijacked Maltese-flagged bulk carrier MV Ruen to use the vessel as a mothership to launch attacks on other commercial ships in the region, officials said, noting that their interception is a milestone towards the maintenance of security along the Indian Ocean stretch.

They also shot down a small spotter drone flown from destroyer INS Kolkata during the rescue operation. This was the fifth incident on the coastline of the Indian Ocean, which has been experiencing relative stability for about one decade.

Footages taken before their arrest show that a pirate fired at an Indian Navy helicopter approaching the ship MV Ruen during the rescue mission that successfully freed all 17 crew members who had been held captive by pirates off the coast of Somalia for three months.

All 35 pirates on board have been apprehended. The US and other partners have been manning the deep waters of the Indian Ocean, but the occasional incidents have caused jitters in regional and international security apparatus.

Somalia is also training its Navy which will be manning the vast coastline, which is also rich in minerals. The government believes the successful defeat of Al-Shabaab will significantly boost the fight against piracy, leading to stability in Somali waters.

GAROWE ONLINE