EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

On 6 October, the EU NAVFOR Dutch support ship HNLMS AMSTERDAM gave assistance to a drifting vessel with 26 crewmembers on board.

EU NAVFOR French Flagship FS DE GRASSE informed HNLMS AMSTERDAM about a vessel, from the regional authorities in Puntland, in distress. The vessel, with 26 crewmembers on board, had lost propulsion due to a lack of fuel for its engines and was drifting after her anchor chain had broken.

The Dutch warship sent her helicopter and then a boarding team including an interpreter and several technicians to secure the vessel. HNLMS AMSTERDAM finally positioned herself alongside the vessel for fuel resupplying and the 26 crewmembers were provided with food and water.

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 in Somalia (AMISOM). EU NAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy. EU NAVFOR finally monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.