July 2009

On Thursday 30 July Mohamed Abdulahi Omaar Somali Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited the Operational Headquarters at Northwood.

On 24 July, journalist were invited to a Media day in Djibouti to witness the excellent work of over 1200 sailors and soldiers in the European Naval Force Operation Atalanta.

EU NAVFOR Spanish warship NUMANCIA, flagship of EU NAVFOR’s Operation Atalanta, has been patrolling the eastern waters of Somalia and Kenya where French and Spanish tuna fishing fleets operate.

Today 24 July EU NAVFOR German Maritime Patrol Aircraft discovered a suspicious skiff whith 5 suspected pirates onboard in the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC) between Bossasso and Al Mukalla.

July, 19th., three separate Task Forces with different mandates have proven that the international community stands shoulder to shoulder in combating the scourge of Piracy.

Tuesday 21 July, Rear Admiral Peter Hudson, Operational Commander of the EU Naval Force – Atalanta (Anti Piracy Operation) visited Kenya to discuss joint ventures to combat the growing scourge of Somali Pirates in the Horn of Africa and off the Somali Coast.

After the unsuccessful attack of a Liberian flagged oil tanker earlier this morning, EU NAVFOR units have tracked down and are shadowing the pirate mothership and skiffs involved. The mothership is the NAFEYA, believed to have been hijacked earlier.

A 265.000-ton tanker, flying the flag of Liberia, was attacked this morning by probable Somali pirates in the western part of the Gulf of Aden.

Today, July 8, at around 0530 (GMT) a Turkish bulk cargo ship, deadweight 34,173 tons, was hijacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. The Turkish ship has a crew of 23 sailors. The vessel was registered with MSC(HOA).

On 1 July the EU NAVFOR French frigate ACONIT patrolling in the Gulf of Aden received a distress call from the Indian ship AL TAREK.

Since 8 December 2008 the European Union has been conducting a military operation to help deter, prevent and repress acts of piracy and armed robbery off the coast of Somalia.