Press Releases

On 7 July, Rear Admiral Paolo Fantoni (Italy) took over as Deputy Commander of Operation ATALANTA for the next six month.

EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA confirms the successful coordination and facilitation of the rescue of the MV MAGIC SEAS crew following an attack in the Southern Red Sea.

The new Force rotation is commanded by a Spanish Admiral, Rear Admiral Francisco Javier Vázquez Sanz, and the Spanish ship ESPS Navarra is the new flagship of the Operation. 

The European Union and India have joined forces in a significant naval exercise to enhance maritime security cooperation.

On 07 May, Operation ATALANTA Operation Commander, Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano visited the World Food Programme (WFP) Headquarters in Rome, where he met WFP Assistant Executive Director for Programme Operations,

Operation ATALANTA Commander, Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano, attended the EU-Somalia Political Dialogue,

First visit of Operation ATALANTA Commander to India under the framework of the EU-India relationship.

The Yemeni-flagged dhow* “AL-HIDAYA” that was hijacked** on 16 March off Durdura, in the vicinity of Eyl, Northern coast of Puntland (Somalia) has been released.

On 16 March, EUNAVFOR ATALANTA was informed of a suspected piracy related incident on a Yemeni-flagged dhow* off Durdura, in the vicinity of Eyl, Northern coast of Puntland (Somalia).

ATALANTA confirms the release of the “SAYTUUN-2”, the Yemeni fishing boat hijacked off Garmaal, Northern coast of Puntland (Somalia). The sequence of events has been as follows:

The new Force rotation is commanded by an Italian Admiral, Rear Admiral Davide Da Pozzo, and the Italian ship, ITS Rizzo is the new flagship of the Operation.

On 17 February, EUNAVFOR ATALANTA was informed of a suspected pirate attack on a Yemeni-flagged dhow* off Garmaal, in the vicinity of Eyl, Northern coast of Puntland (Somalia). The incident is under investigation.