EU Naval Force - Somalia
Operation ATALANTA

Yesterday evening EU NAVFOR warship FS Guepratte stopped to assist Yemenite fisher men in distress. Now she has been towing the Yemenite fishing vessel all night and awaits relief from Omani authorities.

In the afternoon yesterday, Friday 28 may, the EU NAVFOR warship FS Guepratte approached a Yemeni fishing dhow, with six persons on board, in distress at sea. The dhow seemed to have engine problems and had been drifting for seven days. It was established that she had lost her propeller, which made repair at sea impossible. Naturally, Guepratte offered towing assistance.

Both Yemenite and Omani coast guard and Omani Navy have been contacted. Since EU NAVFOR warship FS Guepratte is tasked for patrolling the transit corridor in the Gulf of Aden, a relief would be welcome. EU NAVFOR warship FS Guepratte has been towing the Yemenite fishing dhow Mahara since Friday night at 18.45 hours.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (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.