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On 29 July, ITS Libeccio and her crew joined Operation Atalanta and the Italian Frigate, under the Command of Cdr Antonio Galiuto, has begun patrolling in the Gulf of Aden Somali basin in support of escorts to the World Food Programme, AMISOM and the fight against piracy.

At a ceremony in Djibouti on board the EU NAVFOR Swedish warship, HSwMS CARLSKRONA, Force Commander Rear Admiral (LH) Jan Thörnqvist who has been the Force Commander of  EU NAVFOR Operation ATALANTA for the last four months, handed over to Rear Admiral Philippe Coindreau of France.

On 12 August, the fifth EU NAVFOR medical conference took place on board HSwMS CARLSKRONA, the EU NAVFOR Task Force flag ship in Djibouti.

EU NAVFOR’s capacity has been reinforced with the arrival of the Navy anti-submarine destroyer DE GRASSE in the area of operations.

As part of its mission Op Atalanta, the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) is charged with helping to deter, prevent and repress acts of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia. EUNAVFOR has to date transferred 9 groups of suspected pirates totalling 75 individuals to the Kenyan

The Spanish frigate VICTORIA finished as an EU NAVFOR warship in the same way as she started; by detecting, apprehending and boarding pirate vessels. She has conducted a variety of tasks in the force and has found herself at the centre of the action on more than a few occasions.

Yesterday 8 August, Spanish frigate F-82 VICTORIA handed over to Spanish patrol craft P-77 INFANTA CRISTINA in the area of operation.

On 6 August, the Hellenic frigate ELLI conducted her final task as part of the EU NAVFOR Task Force.  During her 114 days in Task Force 465 she has conducted the full range of tasks in the Gulf of Aden and the Somali Basin.

Late at night on Friday 6 August the MV SYRIA STAR requested medical assistance for two crewmembers that were injured in the initial hijack.

Today 6 August, EU NAVFOR’s capacities have been reinforced with the arrival of the French frigate FASM DUPLEIX in the area of operations.

During the afternoon of 5 Aug 2010, the MV SYRIA STAR reported that she was under attack from pirates who had climbed onboard and fired shots at the crew.  Helicopters were immediately dispatched to the vessel and tried to establish communications with the SYRIA STAR, which had stopped in the water.