Press Releases

On 29 January 2014, international collaboration in the fight against piracy resulted in the transfer of five men by the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta flagship, FS Siroco, to the Republic of Seychelles, with the aim of prosecuting them for acts

Just a few weeks after the Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant, issued another warning about the on-going piracy threat, there have been two more piracy related incidents off the Somali coast.

If there was ever a good reason to heed naval forces’ warnings about the continuing threat from Somali piracy, then an attack on a super tanker is surely one of them.

On Wednesday 2 October 2013 eleven pirates were convicted in the Seychelles Supreme Court of committing acts of piracy and operating a pirate vessel between 7 - 11 May 2012. Their sentences ranged from 18 months to 16 years.

On 4 September 2013, off the coast of Mogadishu, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Atalanta hosted the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on board the Dutch EU NAVFOR flagship, HNLMS Johan de Witt.

Earlier today, Thursday 22 August 2013, a Spanish Maritime Patrol Aircraft from EU Naval Force overflew the pirate controlled fishing vessel FV Naham 3 and observed that the vessel had moved from its sea anchorage to a Somali beach in the Galmudug region.

Earlier today, Tuesday 6 August, Commodore Jorge Novo Palma Portuguese Navy handed over the Force Command of EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta to Commodore Peter Lenselink Royal Netherlands Navy during a change of command ceremony aboard NRP Álvare

On Saturday 27 July, a helicopter from an EU Naval Force warship overflew the pirate controlled fishing vessel Naham 3 and was able to confirm that the fishing vessel had become detached from the sunken MV Albedo and was steaming north along the Somali coast under her

Today, members of the Somali Federal Government flew on board the EU Naval Force Portuguese flagship, NRP Alvares Cabral, at sea off Mogadishu.  They held talks with the EU Special Envoy to Somalia, the Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force Atalanta, and the Head

Fourteen Indian sailors are now safe, after pirates, who took control of their cargo vessel yesterday morning (5 June 2013) in the Gulf of Aden, abandoned the attack hours later after EU Naval Force warship HSwMS Carlskrona, together with NATO counter piracy Dutch war

The Operation Commander of the EU Naval Force, Rear Admiral Bob Tarrant, has issued a renewed warning that Somali pirates are still determined to get out to sea and, if presented with an easy target, will attack.  “I am very concerned that seafarers and nations will l

Earlier today the Somali Defence Minister and members of the Somali Cabinet visited the EU Naval Force Operation Headquarters in London.