EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

Yesterday, 15 April, EU NAVFOR Spanish warship ESPS VICTORIA tracked, boarded and destroyed a Pirate mother ship.

This event, just off the coast of Somalia, shows that EU NAVFORs new, more robust strategy is working.
On Thursday morning, an EU NAVFOR helicopter, from the Spanish ship Victoria, detected a Whaler with three suspected pirates onboard, just off the Somali coast. Victoria called upon the Whaler to stop but got no response. After warning shots were fired, a boarding was carried out.

On inspection of the whaler large amounts of fuel and ammunition were found. Although the individuals said they were fishermen, no fishing equipment was found. The decision was taken to dispose of the whaler and the three men on board were transported ashore. The whaler was subsequently destroyed.

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 ‘African Union Mission for Somalia’ (AMISOM), and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.