Operation ATALANTA has successfully supported a Yemeni dhow with severe technical breakdown in the Eastern Gulf of Aden waters.
The warning with a possible missing dhow during her transit to Socotra was raised a couple of days ago from the Yemeni Coast Guard and the Regional Maritime Information Sharing Centre (REMISC) in Yemen. Since then, Operation ATALANTA has monitored the situation at sea and following the search operation carried out by ATALANTA's air assets, the dhow was located.
ATALANTA current piracy threat assessment in the area where the dhow was located is moderate, with possible active Pirate Action Group nearby. Operation ATALANTA mandate has as an executive task to protect vulnerable vessels and, committed to this task, the flagship of the Operation, ESPS VICTORIA, has towed the dhow to a safe location.
The resolution was coordinated with the master of the dhow and the appropriate Yemeni and Somali authorities. The crew remains safe and no injuries have been reported.
All assessments and recommendations for ships transiting the area are shared through the appropriate channels with the shipping operators and updated on the MSCIO website (www.mscio.eu).
Operation ATALANTA strongly recommends merchant, and other vulnerable vessels to register in the MSCIO's Voluntary Registration Scheme (VRS) to provide the most effective monitoring and response by ATALANTA forces and their partners in countering maritime security threats.
