EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

Continuing success by EU NAVFOR over the last 24 hours by Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and EU NAVFOR HNLMS Tromp, has led to the detention of 10 suspected pirates and the destruction of a Pirate Action Groups (PAG).

On 28th Mar, the EU NAVFOR Swedish Maritime Patrol aircraft (MPA) located a PAG almost 700 miles east of Mogadishu and informed the Force Commander onboard the Italian warship ETNA. The Force Commander, Admiral Giovanni Gumiero tasked TROMP with intercepting the PAG. EU NAVFOR warship TROMP launched her helicopter and forced the suspected pirates to stop their skiffs. A boarding operation was conducted and 10 suspected pirates were detained. A large number of fuel barrels were found and destroyed. Two attack skiffs were also destroyed and the suspects were provided with sufficient fuel and water to reach the coast in a third boat.

During this period of highly successful disruption operations, EU NAVFOR French, Spanish, German and Dutch warships and Maritime patrol Aircraft from Sweden and Luxemburg have interdicted some 17 Pirate Groups, accounting for more than 131 suspected pirates with HNLMS Tromp alone accounting for the apprehension of 61 suspected pirates.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP) and vessels of AMISOM, and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy.