EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

On 11 March, the helicopter of the French EUNAVFOR warship FS NIVOSE, while on aerial patrol, intercepted and responded to a distress signal from JELBUT 22, also known as AL MANSUR.

The fishing dhows position was 130 nautical miles East of Eyl, on the Somali coast. EUNAVFOR warship NIVOSE sent a team to the assistance of the vessel and, at the invitation of the captain of the dhow, boarded the vessel to assist.

The crew reported that the JELBUT 22, with a crew of 14 Iranian fishermen, had been attacked and pirated by two skiffs, carrying 16 suspected pirates, in November 2010. The fishing dhow had then been used as a mother vessel in a number of failed attacks against merchant vessels.  The pirates eventually abandoned the dhow when it ran out of fuel and water. FS NIVOSE replenished the dhow with these much needed supplies to allow it to continue to a safe port.

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