The ship, with 18 crew members on board, sent a distress message on Friday reporting that six unidentified individuals had boarded the vessel, according to an official press release.

In a quick response to the developing situation, the Indian Navy diverted its Naval Sea Patrol aircraft to surveil the area, and its warship on anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden to locate and assist the MV Ruen, the press release noted.

The plane flew over the hijacked vessel on early Friday and other Indian Navy aircraft are continuously monitoring the movement of the ship, which is now heading to the coast of Somalia, the military body revealed.

The text added that the Indian Navy warship, which has been deployed in the Gulf of Aden to patrol against piracy, intercepted the MV Ruen in the early hours of Saturday.

There is close monitoring of the overall situation in coordination with other agencies in the area, the Defense Ministry pointed out.

The Indian Navy remains committed to being the first responder in the region and ensuring the safety of merchant ships, along with international partners and friendly foreign countries, it concluded.

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