Sailors from Operation Atalanta warship, ITS Libeccio, met local Somali fishermen during a counter-piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden.
Once permission to go on board the fishing vessels has been granted by their masters, ITS Libeccio’s boat crew approached them and, after providing the seafarers with food, water and medical assistance, they asked the fishermen about their daily lives and any concerns that they may have.
Talking via a Somali linguist, ITS Libeccio’s crew advised the local Somali fishermen of Operation Atalanta’s role in preventing piracy along the Somali coastline.
Part of Operation Atalanta’s mandate is to monitor fishing activities off the coast of Somalia and these meetings at sea help to build mutual trust and understanding between counter-piracy naval forces and the local Somali community.