March 2011

On Monday 28 March 2011, the Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Bernard Membe, along with his delegation visited the Operation ATALANTA Headquarters (OHQ) in Northwood.

 On 28 March 2011, the EUNAVFOR Spanish warship ESPS CANARIAS disrupted a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG), consisting of a whaler-style boat and a skiff, 260 Nautical Miles North-West of the Seychelles after a fishing vessel reported the PAGs presence to the warship

 At approximately 0900Z on 28 March, the Crude Oil Tanker the MV ZIRKU was pirated approximately 250 nautical miles South East of Salalah in the eastern part of the Gulf of Aden The UAE flagged and Kuwaiti owned vessel was on its way to Singapore from Bashayer (Sudan) when it was attacke

On 22nd to 25th March, Chinese warship FFG-525 MAANSHAN (CTF-526) escorted the World Food Programme (WFP) vessel AMINA from Berbera to Bosasso.

Recent visits of EUNAVFOR ships to the Seychelles have proven fruitful in cementing close relationships and co-operation with the Seychelles Coastguard.

The German frigate HAMBURG finished as an EU NAVFOR warship after 116 days proudly flying the European Flag. She has been successful in all the assigned tasks.

At approximately 0730Z on 16 March, the Bulk Cargo Carrier MV SINAR KUDUS was pirated approximately 320 nautical miles North East of the island of Socotra in the Somali Basin. Within 24 hours of being taken, she was used to launch an unsuccessful attack on the MV EMPEROR.

In the morning of 14 March, the EU NAVFOR French frigate FS NIVÔSE provided assistance to the MV JAHAN MONI after she was released from pirate control. 

Commanded by Commander Abry, the ship and its crew are fully prepared and trained to take an active part within ATALANTA and in all anti piracy operations. NIEDERSACHSEN is equipped with extensive self defence and has 2 Sea Lynx MK-88 helicopters at its disposal. 

The MV YORK, together with 25 crewmembers from the MV RAK AFRIKANA, has arrived safely in Mombasa after being released from pirate control on 9 March. 

On 11 March, the helicopter of the French EUNAVFOR warship FS NIVOSE, while on aerial patrol, intercepted and responded to a distress signal from JELBUT 22, also known as AL MANSUR.

 On the morning of 9 March, marine authorities received a distress call from the MV ARAK AFRIKANA stating that they were taking on large amounts of water due to what was described as a ‘hole in the hull’.  The vessel had been released from pirate control only hours earlier.  

On 5th March, an EU NAVFOR aircraft and the EU NAVFOR French warship FS NIVOSE disrupted a suspected pirate whaler off the Somali coast.  The whaler was suspected of leading a Pirate Action Group (PAG) at the time of the incident.

 The French Frigate NIVOSE has joined the EUNAVFOR.

The MV EMS RIVER, which was pirated on 27 December 2010, was released from pirate control on 1 March 2011. The Antigua/Barbuda flagged and German owned vessel was on her way to San Nicolas, Greece from Jebel Ali in the UAE at the time of the attack.