35 Somali pirates arrested by Indian naval commandos were brought to Mumbai on Saturday (March 23). Naval commandos have rescued a large ship hijacked by these pirates and several hostages from it.

This information was given in the report of AFP.

According to the report, under Indian law, they face the maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment if convicted.

Last December, the Maltese-flagged MV Rouen was hijacked. This is the first time since 2017 that Somali pirates have successfully hijacked a cargo ship.

Indian commandos took control of the vessel on March 17, about 260 nautical miles (480 km) off the coast of Somalia. The destroyer INS Calcutta, which led the rescue operation, reached Mumbai early Saturday morning carrying 35 people accused of hijacking the ship.

A Navy statement said the operation “followed international principles and commitments” to ensure maritime security in the region.

Each of them was seen handcuffed. They were taken away in a police van. These pirates are expected to be produced before the magistrate on Saturday evening.