The Indian Navy has unveiled photographs showcasing the presence of armed Somali pirates aboard the Bangladeshi-flagged cargo vessel MV Abdullah, which was seized in the Indian Ocean.
The image, released on social media on Friday, shows the pirates patrolling the ship. All of them have heavy weapons in their hands.
The Indian Navy said in a statement that prompted by a distress call received on March 12, they swiftly mobilized its offshore Long Range Maritime Patrol (LRMP) vessel and a warship to respond to the hijacking incident.
Despite attempts to establish communication with the hijacked vessel, no response was received, indicating a potential takeover by armed pirates.
The Navy further said that the safety of the crew held hostage by armed pirates was ascertained and the Indian Navy warship continued to maintain its presence in the close vicinity of the vessel till its arrival in the territorial waters of Somalia.
This development comes amidst mounting concerns over piracy activities in the Indian Ocean region.
On Friday, an Indian navy warship intercepted the hijacked Ruen cargo ship and demanded the Somali pirates on board surrender, a navy spokesperson said on Saturday.
The pirates who allegedly hijacked the Maltese-flagged bulk cargo vessel on December 14 opened fire on the navy ship in international waters, the spokesperson said without providing further details.
Somali pirates who seized the Ruen in December may have used it in the takeover of a Bangladesh-flagged cargo ship off the coast of Somalia this week, the European Union naval force said on Thursday.
The location of the Bangladeshi vessel MV Abdullah, hijacked by Somali pirates with 23 crew members on board, was changed on Friday after it had anchored about seven nautical miles away from the shore of Garacad, Somalia coast on Thursday.
MV Abdullah, transporting coal with its 23 crew members, was en route from Mozambique to the UAE when it was seized by pirates in the Indian Ocean on Tuesday.
Previously, on December 5, 2010, the MV Jahan Moni, owned by the same company, was seized by Somali pirates in the Arabian Sea. Twenty-six individuals on board were held captive for 100 days.
They were released on March 14, 2011, and returned home the next day.
