- By Mayukh Debnath
- Wed, 14 Aug 2024 08:59 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
MARCOS Commando Gallantry Award: Commander Rahul Sharma, an Indian Navy MARCOS commando, was on Wednesday, the eve of Independence Day 2024, awarded the Nau Sena Medal (Gallantry) for successfully leading an anti-piracy intervention onboard a hijacked merchant vessel earlier this year. The operation, which lasted nearly 40 hours, had culminated with the rescue of 17 crew members and the surrender by a group of 35 pirates.
Described as a "daring" one by the Navy, the operation also pre-empted further attempts by Somali pirates to use the Maltese-flagged cargo vessel as a mother ship for piracy. MV Ruen, the merchant ship in question, was hijacked by Somali pirates off the coast of Somalia in December last year.
Months later, on March 16, the Indian Navy's elite Marine Commandos (MARCOS) undertook a remarkable operation to seize control of the ship. "The vessel had been held captive by 35 armed pirates since Dec 23, and was being utilized as a mother ship for piracy," the citation for the award said.
MARCOS OP REQUIRED COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
The operation, which took place somewhere in the Arabian Sea region, saw MARCOS personnel being airdropped, along with their equipment, from a C-17 military transport aircraft belonging to the Indian Air Force (IAF), as per a statement issued by Navy officials at the time.
#WATCH | Airdropping of Marine Commandos and their equipment from a C-17 transport aircraft in the Arabian Sea for action against pirates on a vessel MV Ruen over 2600 km from Indian shores. pic.twitter.com/WoqFWOjJev
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2024
(Visual from the anti-piracy operation conducted by Indian Navy's elite MARCOS on March 16, 2024)
"Preparing for a mission 1400 nm off Mumbai, he showcased unmatched prowess in tactical planning and inter-agency collaboration. He (Cdr Sharma) led a daring para-drop of MARCOs from C-17 aircraft deep into the Arabian Sea, coordinating with IAF for precise deployment. The complexities of deploying a MARCOs team at such a distance, coupled with the hostage situation, an endeavour never attempted by any other special force, underscored the operation's extreme challenges and risks," the award citation read.
It added, "After leading the para-drop of the team, the officer commanded the highrisk boarding of MV Ruen, personally overseeing the thorough sanitisation of the ship by splitting the teams to form three assault groups, each responsible for different sections of the ship. His tactical acumen ensured the swift and effective clearing of the vessel, securing RPG rounds, AK Ammunition and other piracy-related stores, thereby neutralising any threat(s)."
(With inputs from agencies)