March 2010

In the early hours of 31 March the MV EVITA, a Sierra Leoone flagged production tanker of 9897 deadwieght tonnes (and owned by UAE), was attacked approximately 350 nautical miles north of the Seychelles, by a Pirate Action Group (PAG) consisting of 3 attack skiffs.

Continuing success by EU NAVFOR over the last 24 hours by Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) and EU NAVFOR HNLMS Tromp, has led to the detention of 10 suspected pirates and the destruction of a Pirate Action Groups (PAG).

This afternoon, 29th March, the EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) from the Seychelles supported the Seychelles Coast Guard vessel Topaz to locate and apprehend a hijacked ship.

Reports have been received by EU NAVFOR that the MV Iceberg 1 has been hijacked 10 nautical miles off the port of Aden, Yemen, outside the International Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC).

On the morning 27 of March the Malta-flagged tanker MV SAVEH with a deadweight of 150 000 tonnes, was attacked by a Pirate Attack Group (PAG) approximately 300 Nautical Miles north east of Seychelles.

EU NAVFOR can confirm that the MV Talca, previously reported hijacked on 23 March en route to Busheir in Iran, has now arrived off the Somali coastal location of Bargaal, not a known pirate holding area, approximately 400 km north of Eyl, a pirate stronghold.

Early on the morning of Tuesday 23 March, an EU NAVFOR warship received a distress call from a merchant ship off the Somalia coast and proceeded at high speed to assist.

Early on the morning of Tuesday 23 March, a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship, UAE owned, MV ALMEZAAN,  en route to Mogadishu, was attacked by pirates off the Somali coast. The ship was approximately 60 miles south of Haradere.

This afternoon, Tuesday 23 March, the Bermuda flagged British Virgin Islands owned cargo ship MV TALCA was reported hijacked.

This morning, 23 of March, the Malta flagged Turkish owned (Garanti Finansal Kiralama) cargo ship MV FRIGIA, deadweight 35,000 tonnes, was reported hijacked in the Indian Ocean.

On 19th March the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship NAVARRA was despatched by the Force HQ (ITS ETNA) to assist an Iranian dhow that had sent out a distress call.

It has been a busy week for the EU NAVFOR frigate HNLMS TROMP during Operations in the Somali Basin.

While EU NAVFOR Warship FGS EMDEN was proceeding to the last known position of a pirate attack  reported by the Spanish fishing vessel ALBATUN 2, on the 18th of March, her helicopter found one whaler and two attack skiffs with twelve persons onboard.

On 18 of March at 11.00, the Deputy commander EU NAVFOR Rear Admiral Bartolome Bauza ended a very successful visit to the Seychelles.

Early on the evening of Wednesday 17 March, the Italian Naval Ship SCIROCCO (attached to NATO coalition anti piracy forces) who had been monitoring a hijacked dhow, witnessed pirates leaving the hijacked Iranian dhow SAAD 1 in small boats, known as skiffs.

On the afternoon of Wednesday 17th March EU NAVFOR hosted a visit by two Shadow Ministers from the UK House of Commons.

This morning, 17 March, saw the culmination of highly successful EU NAVFOR pirate disruption activities by the EU NAVFOR French warship NIVOSE against Pirate Action Groups (PAG) operating in the Somali basin, approximately 350 nautical miles off the Somali Coast.

Early this morning, 17 March, two small skiffs made a fast approach on the EU NAVFOR Dutch HNLMS TROMP with, what appeared, to be a pirate attack.

The MV Theresa VIII, a Virgin Islands owned, Kiribati Flagged, chemical tanker with a crew of 28 and deadweight of 22, 294 tonnes,  has been released by pirates on 16 March 2010.

On 12th March, after receiving a report from MV E.R. LUBECK (Liberian Flag, German owner), that pirates in 2 skiffs had tried to hijack her, COMEUNAVFOR initiated a surge operation to intercept and disrupt the PAG.

At 11.00 on the 13 of March, the next Flagship of EU NAVFOR Somalia - Operation Atalanta, the Swedish Warship HMS CARLSKRONA, departed from Karlskrona in the south of Sweden.

The MV  Lübeck, previously of the China Shipping Container Lines, and now under German ownership, evaded pirate attack in the Somali Basin some  450 nautical miles NE of the Seychelles in the late hours of 11th, stretching into the early hours of 12 March.

EU NAVFOR units operating in the Somali Basin, between the Seychelles and the Somali coast, have discovered more suspected pirate activity.

Vice Admiral Betrand Aubriot Commander in Chief of the French Navy, visited the EU NAVFOR OHQ on Thursday 11 March to acquaint himself with the nerve centre of Operation Atalanta.

On Monday 8th March, the Swedish Coast guard Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) conducted its first formal mission for EU NAVFOR’s anti piracy operation – Atalanta.

On the evening of 9 March the President, His Excellency Sharif Sheikh Ahmed and his delegation were greeted by Rear Admiral Peter Hudson CBE, Operational Commander of EU NAVFOR – Operation ATALANTA.

The chemical tanker Marshall Island flagged UBT Ocean hijacked on Friday, is now reported in the vicinity off the pirate stronghold east of Haradere.

The Kenyan flagged fishing vessel SAKOBA is reported hijacked 400 NM east of Dar Es Salam.

Early this morning an EU NAVFOR Spanish Maritime Patrol Aircraft from Djibout patrolling the Somali Basin received a distress call from Spanish F/V INTERTUNA 2 reporting that she was under attack by 4 skiffs.

As EU NAVFOR reported in a previous press release, several pirate attack groups are operating in the Southern Indian Ocean between Seychelles and Kenya.

Over the weekend of 5 – 7 March, EU NAVFOR units have been involved in concerted operations to interdict and disrupt pirate action groups before they had the opportunity to pirate vessels in the Indian Ocean.

Rear Admiral Bartolome Bauzá, Deputy Commander of EU NAVFOR Somalia -Operation ATALANTA, paid a recent visit to Djibouti to meet with key political  and military authorities in the country.

EU NAVFOR can confirm that early this morning a Thailand flagged fishing vessel (Thai Union 3) was released by pirates from the port of Haradeere after the payment of a ransom.

A Marshall Island flagged chemical tanker, UBT Ocean, is reported to have been hijacked on Friday morning 300 nautical miles from Dar El Salam.

Today, Thursday 4 March 2010, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope KCB OBE ADC, the First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy visited the Headquarters of the EU Naval Force Somalia – Operation Atalanta.

Early this morning, in the southern Indian Ocean, between the Seychelles and Mombasa a pirate group of 1 mother ship and 2 skiffs was intercepted by EU NAVFOR.