On Tuesday 1 December 09, ITS ETNA under the Command of Capitano di Vascello Marco Novella sailed from Taranto to join the EU Naval Force operating off the Somali coast in its Anti Piracy mission. The ship will to take her place as Flagship of the European Union Anti Piracy Force.
Onboard the ship is Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero who assume duty as Force Commander in the middle of December in the Gulf of Aden.
The Deputy Operation Commander of EU NAVFOR Atalanta, Rear Admiral Thorsten Kaehler, said farewell to RAdm Gumiero and the flagship ITS ETNA. He discussed the forthcoming mission with both Giovanni Gumiero and Capitano di Vascello Marco Novella. He underlined once more the importance for European Member States to contribute to this hugely important international task which the EU is acknowledged as leading. He expressed the gratitude of the European Union for the Italian contribution to Operation Atalanta.
Admiral Kaehler, in talking to the members of the Press stated that “Piracy was continuing and would continue until a political solution was found in Somalia”. He was pleased that the EU force is leading the way in this international task and that the actions of EU NAVFOR ships showed a direct effect on reducing the success rates of pirates’ attacks.“ Before EU NAVFOR ships were engaged, the pirates were successful in hijacking a vessel in about one in three attacks”, but since the beginning of the Operation in December 2008 the success rate has been reduced to about one in eight or nine.
ITS ETNA will proceed to the Gulf of Aden, where Radm Gumiero is to and relieve the present Force Commander Commodore Pieter Bindt onboard the EU NAVFOR Netherlands warship HNMS EVERTSEN who has been controlling operations in the area for the last four months. The ships will meet in the Gulf of Aden in the middle of December and formally hand over command of the EU NAVFOR.
Rear Admiral Gumiero
Rear Admiral Gumiero participated in Operation SHARP GUARD as Commanding Officer of ITS DANAIDE. As Commander SNMG2 he launched and conducted the first ever NATO counter piracy operation, Operation Allied Provider (OAP), in the Gulf of Aden (GOA) and along the Somali coastline. The mission included the escort and protection of WFP chartered vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Somalia.
History of Force Commanders of EU NAVFOR
December 2008: Commodore Antonios Papaioannou onboard Flagship: HS PSARA
6 April 2009: Captain (N) Juan Garat Carame onboard Flagship: SPS NUMANCIA
13 August 2009: Commodore Pieter Bindt onboard Flagship: HNMS EVERSTEN
Onboard the ship is Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero who assume duty as Force Commander in the middle of December in the Gulf of Aden.
The Deputy Operation Commander of EU NAVFOR Atalanta, Rear Admiral Thorsten Kaehler, said farewell to RAdm Gumiero and the flagship ITS ETNA. He discussed the forthcoming mission with both Giovanni Gumiero and Capitano di Vascello Marco Novella. He underlined once more the importance for European Member States to contribute to this hugely important international task which the EU is acknowledged as leading. He expressed the gratitude of the European Union for the Italian contribution to Operation Atalanta.
Admiral Kaehler, in talking to the members of the Press stated that “Piracy was continuing and would continue until a political solution was found in Somalia”. He was pleased that the EU force is leading the way in this international task and that the actions of EU NAVFOR ships showed a direct effect on reducing the success rates of pirates’ attacks.“ Before EU NAVFOR ships were engaged, the pirates were successful in hijacking a vessel in about one in three attacks”, but since the beginning of the Operation in December 2008 the success rate has been reduced to about one in eight or nine.
ITS ETNA will proceed to the Gulf of Aden, where Radm Gumiero is to and relieve the present Force Commander Commodore Pieter Bindt onboard the EU NAVFOR Netherlands warship HNMS EVERTSEN who has been controlling operations in the area for the last four months. The ships will meet in the Gulf of Aden in the middle of December and formally hand over command of the EU NAVFOR.
Rear Admiral Gumiero
Rear Admiral Gumiero participated in Operation SHARP GUARD as Commanding Officer of ITS DANAIDE. As Commander SNMG2 he launched and conducted the first ever NATO counter piracy operation, Operation Allied Provider (OAP), in the Gulf of Aden (GOA) and along the Somali coastline. The mission included the escort and protection of WFP chartered vessels carrying humanitarian aid to Somalia.
History of Force Commanders of EU NAVFOR
December 2008: Commodore Antonios Papaioannou onboard Flagship: HS PSARA
6 April 2009: Captain (N) Juan Garat Carame onboard Flagship: SPS NUMANCIA
13 August 2009: Commodore Pieter Bindt onboard Flagship: HNMS EVERSTEN