On the afternoon of 9 March, EU Naval Force warship, ESPS Infanta Cristina, carried out her first meeting, or ‘friendly approach’ with local seafarers in the Gulf of Aden since she joined the European Union’s counter-piracy operation, Atalanta a few days earlier.
ESPS Infanta Cristina is currently patrolling the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC) to deter and disrupt acts of piracy.
After seeing the dhow on radar and exchanging messages, the Spanish Navy’s boat crew was invited to speak to the master and the crew of the dhow.
The dhow’s crew were told about the role of the EU Naval Force to protect ships and seafarers against piracy and armed robbery at sea.
Friendly approaches at sea such as this help to strengthen mutual understanding and trust between the EU Naval Force and local seafarers. It also enables counter-piracy forces to obtain first-hand information about possible piracy incidents in the area.