Press Releases

In the afternoon of 2 December, 150 nautical miles south of Salalah, Oman the Antigua & Barbuda flagged General Cargo Ship MV BBC Togo was attacked by pirates in two attack skiffs.

Despite increased tension in Mogadishu and a heightened pirate threat, the EU NAVFOR warship Louise-Marie escorted African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) ship Alpha Kirawira from Mombasa to Mogadishu.

On 29 November a Greek Crude Oil Tanker the M/V Maran Centaurus, was hijacked in the Somali Basin, 600 nautical miles North East of the Seychelles. The 300,294 tonne ship is now at anchor 30 nautical miles south of Hobyo.

On the morning of 29 November 2009, 175 nautical miles east of Victoria, Seychelles a Spanish Fishing Vessel was attacked by pirates in two attack skiffs. Her embarked security team fired warning shots after which the pirates broke of their attack.

On the evening of 26 November 2009, the owner of the 142 foot long Indian Dhow Shree Narayan, previously reported being hijacked by Somali pirates on 18 November 18, confirmed by telephone the pirates had left the vessel.

On 29 November a Greek Crude Oil Tanker named the M/V Maran Centaurus was hijacked in the Somali Bassin, 600 nautical miles North East of the Seychelles. Maran Centaurus has a deadweight of 300,294 tonnes and a crew of 28, among them 9 Greek, 16 Filipinos, 2 Ukrainian and 1 Romanian.

On November 25th 2009 EU NAVFOR Greek warship HS Adrias neutralised a suspected Pirate Attack Group approximately 260 nautical miles North-East of Seychelles.

From the 20th until 24th of November, the EUNAVFOR Belgian Warship Louise-Marie escorted the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) ship “Alpha Kirawira”.

On Tuesday November 17th 2009 an EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft stationed at the Seychelles detected three suspected pirate skiffs approximately 300 nautical miles north of Seychelles and another two suspected pirate skiffs to the east of that position.

On the early morning of 18 November 2009, 350 nautical miles east from the Somali coast, pirates attacked MV Maersk Alabama, a US flagged, Danish owned, 155 meter long, Container ship.

This afternoon the hijacked Spanish Fishing Vessel Alakrana was released by pirates after spending 7 weeks in pirate captivity.

On 16 November in the Gulf of Aden, the Ukrainian Cargo Ship MV LADY JULIET (flagged St Vincent & The Grenadines) heading West was attacked by pirates firing Kalashnikovs and rocket propelled grenades.