On December 14, the Maltese-flagged bulk carrier RUEN fell victim to an act of piracy approximately 400 nautical miles east of Socotra, Somalia, while en route from Singapore to Gemlik, Turkey. The attackers, utilizing several skiffs detached from a fishing vessel acting as a mother ship, targeted the RUEN.
Reportedly, several pirates successfully boarded the vessel, but the 18 crew members were treated well. One crew member sustained an arm injury during the incident. The pirates maintained control of the vessel by taking turns on the mother ship, utilizing one of the skiffs for rotation.
In response to the situation, the Spanish frigate Victoria, acting as the flagship of the European EUNAVFOR force, is currently en route to the area. The response efforts are being coordinated with the combined maritime forces based in Bahrain.
