India Rewards Pilot for Air-Drop Raid to Capture Somali Pirates

The Indian Air Force has awarded a medal for gallantry to a cargo jet pilot who dropped off the commando team that rescued the bulker Ruen from Somali pirates early last year. 

On December 14, 2023, Somali pirates boarded the Bulgarian-operated bulker Ruen at a position about 380 nautical miles east of the island of Socotra, far out in the Arabian Sea. The attackers took 17 crewmembers hostage and navigated the vessel back towards the Somali coast, where they opened negotiations with the shipowner. 

Unusually, the Ruen did not stay at anchor off Somalia for long. Instead, the p…