For some days 14 suspected pirates have been held detained onboard the Spanish Atalanta unit ESPS MARQUES DE LA ENSENADA. Kenya has now formally agreed to take over these suspects for prosecution, based on the agreement between Kenya and the EU, which now will be used already the fifth time. The Spanish tanker will enter the port of Mombasa tomorrow morning and hand over the detainees to Kenyan authorities. This will make a total of 52 suspected pirates having been handed in by EU NAVFOR Atalanta for prosecution.
One group of 7 suspects was detained, after they tried to attack a Greek merchant vessel, a tanker under Panama flag, on 06 May in the Gulf of Aden. This vessel started evasive manoeuvres to counter the attack and hit the attacking skiff, which then capsized. The second group of also 7 suspects was detained one day later, after they attacked another Greek ship, a Malta flagged bulk carrier, but were stopped by the helicopter of ESPS MARQUES DE LA ENSENADA, which was in vicinity. This incident also took place in the Gulf of Aden.
Two groups of detained suspects had been handed over to Kenya by a German frigate and two more by a French one previously.