CAPE TOWN, South Africa—A Maltese-flagged commercial ship that was seized in the Arabian Sea last week with 18 crew on board is currently near the coast of Somalia, according to the European Union's maritime security agency. One crew member was evacuated for medical treatment.
The hijackers still have possession of the bulk carrier Ruen, whose identity and demands are unknown, according to a statement from the EU Naval Force. It did not provide any information on the status of the crew member who was removed off the ship on Monday and transferred to an Indian naval ship that has been following the Ruen.
A day after the hijacking, an Indian maritime patrol plane located the Ruen and made radio contact with the crew, who had sealed themselves in a safe room. According to the EU Naval Force, the hijackers broke into the secure room and "extracted the crew" hours later.
The Ruen, controlled by the Bulgarian maritime company Navibulgar, was boarded in the Horn of Africa off the Yemeni island of Socotra, according to private intelligence firm Ambrey and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. According to Bulgarian officials, the ship's crew consisted of Angolans, Bulgarians, and Burmese (also known as Myanmar) people.
The 185-meter (606-foot) Ruen was transporting a shipment of metals from the South Korean port of Gwangyang, according to the EU Naval Force. It was on its way to the Turkish port of Gemlik. The skipper verified the hijacking by sending a mayday signal to the command center of the EU Naval Force.
According to the EU force, the vessel has now headed southwest toward the coast of Somalia.
Suspicion has fallen on Somali pirates, whose assaults have significantly diminished in recent years. They could become more active again. The Pentagon has stated that the five armed gunmen who hijacked a commercial ship in Yemen late last month were most likely Somali nationals rather than the Iranian-backed Houthi militants who were initially suspected.
During the Israel-Hamas conflict, Yemen-based Houthi rebels have increased their attacks on ships sailing through the Red Sea, affecting global trade. The United States and a number of other countries said Tuesday that they are forming a force to safeguard ships traveling the Red Sea that have come under threat from Houthi-controlled parts of Yemen.
However, Somalia's maritime police have increased patrols in recent weeks in response to the Pentagon's assessment of last month's attempted hijacking, as worries of a revival of piracy by Somali nationals mount.
A Spanish frigate from the EU Naval Force and a Japanese naval vessel from the multinational Combined Maritime Forces command have arrived near the hijacked Ruen to join the Indian navy vessel. It is being "continuously monitored" by the ships and a 5-meter-long (16-foot) drone deployed by the EU force.
