On 17 November 2010, whilst sailing in the Gulf of Aden, the EU NAVFOR French Flagship FS DE GRASSE intercepted and disrupted a Pirate Action Group comprising of one skiff with seven suspected pirates onboard.
This morning, the “Alouette” helicopter from the EU NAVFOR French warship FS MEUSE detected the suspicious activity in the Gulf of Aden and informed FS DE GRASSE, who immediately launched her helicopter, locating the skiff with seven suspected pirates onboard. Warning shots were fired from the helicopter to stop the skiff. The boarding team from FS DE GRASSE was dispatched and successfully intercepted the skiff.
Ladders were seen to be thrown overboard and the boarding team found weapons and ammunitions onboard the skiff (2 RPG, 2 launch disposals, 1 AK47 and 7.62 ammunitions).
As there was insufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution, the piracy paraphernalia were confiscated and the seven suspected pirates were returned to Somalia in their skiff. This disruption has hampered pirate action and avoided highly probable attacks on merchant and vulnerable vessels.
EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.
This morning, the “Alouette” helicopter from the EU NAVFOR French warship FS MEUSE detected the suspicious activity in the Gulf of Aden and informed FS DE GRASSE, who immediately launched her helicopter, locating the skiff with seven suspected pirates onboard. Warning shots were fired from the helicopter to stop the skiff. The boarding team from FS DE GRASSE was dispatched and successfully intercepted the skiff.
Ladders were seen to be thrown overboard and the boarding team found weapons and ammunitions onboard the skiff (2 RPG, 2 launch disposals, 1 AK47 and 7.62 ammunitions).
As there was insufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution, the piracy paraphernalia were confiscated and the seven suspected pirates were returned to Somalia in their skiff. This disruption has hampered pirate action and avoided highly probable attacks on merchant and vulnerable vessels.
EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.