site.btaIndian Navy Tracks Hijacked Bulgarian Ship Ruen in Arabian Sea

The Indian Navy said on Saturday that they are tracking the Bulgarian cargo ship Ruen, which was hijacked in the Arabian Sea, sailing under the Maltese flag, the Associated Press reported.

The agency noted that the identity of the hijackers has not yet been confirmed, but they are believed to be Somali pirates.

The Indian Navy said in a statement that they responded to a distress call from the ship Ruen. As a result, they have dispatched their warship for anti-piracy patrols and an aircraft to locate and assist the hijacked vessel. The Indian aircraft  flew over the ship early on Friday morning and has been continuously tracking its course ever since.

The hijacked Bulgarian vessel is headed for the coast of Somalia, added the Indian Navy, noting that their warship, which was deployed in the Gulf of Aden to conduct anti-piracy patrols, spotted the Bulgarian vessel on Saturday morning.

The Ruen, which is owned by the  Navigation Maritime Bulgare (Navibulgar), was off the Yemeni island of Socotra when it was boarded on Thursday, according to the private intelligence company Ambey and the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO). Bulgarian authorities said the ship's crew consisted of citizens of Angola, Bulgaria and Myanmar.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mariya Gabriel told reporters the Foreign Ministry had been informed about the hijacked ship and eight Bulgarians aboard. The information has been passed on to all partners and institutions on which Sofia will rely for assistance.

So far, no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. 

It is not clear yet if Yemen's Houthi rebels are behind the incident. The Galaxy Leader, whose captain and first mate are Bulgarian, was hijacked by Houthis in the Red Sea in November.