Newsroom

From 29 Nov to 2 Dec, Rear Admiral Peter Hudson Operational Commander of EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation Atalanta, visitied Djibouti and Kenya to say thank you to the authorities for their cooperation in fighting piracy and for their excellent support to EU NAVFOR.

This afternoon the Antigua Barbuda flagged MV Charelle was released by pirates after spending nearly 6 months in pirate captivity. The MV Charelle was hijacked by pirates south of Oman the 12 June 2009. The ship has a crew of 10.

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.

On Wednesday 2 December the Force Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR), Commodore Pieter Bindt, met with his South Korean counterpart, Commander of the Republic of Korea Naval Escort Task Group, Captain Seung-Woo Kim on board the EU NAVFOR flagship Netherlands HNLM

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.

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.

EU NAVFOR warship Louise-Marie protects WFP M/V Semlow – Hijacked in 2005