EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

On Sunday 30 May 2010, the EU NAVFOR vessel FS GUEPRATTE arrived in the Omani port of Marbat having towed the Yemeni Dhow, Mahara for two days.  The FS GUEPRATTE came to the aid of the Mahara on Friday 28 May 2010 after receiving a report from an Australian aircraft.

The Mahara which had been drifting for seven days and was running very low on food and water was unable to make its own way.  The decision was made to tow the dhow to the nearest port in order for the vessel to undergo maintenance and for one of the crew who was ill to receive medical assistance.

On arriving at Marbat, the Mahara was anchored just outside the port where medical assistance was received and the vessel underwent maintenance. The FS GUEPRATTE on successfully towing the dhow to Marbat returned to its tasking of patrolling as part of the EU NAVFOR Task Force.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of  African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels 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.