April 2010

On the afternoon of 29 April, the EU NAVFOR warship Nivose found, stopped and searched a mother ship and two supporting skiffs, some 480 nautical miles east of the Somali Coast.

This morning 29 of April, the Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) from Malta was used for the first time in support of EU NAVFOR’s primary mandate.

EU NAVFOR can confirm that the three hijacked Thai fishing vessels, have now arrived off the coast of Somalia in the vicinity of Garacad.

EU NAVFOR can confirm that the hijacked M/V VOC DAISY has now arrived off the coast of Somalia in the vicinity of Garacad.

The EU NAVFOR warship ESPS VICTORIA yesterday intercepted a pirate action group (PAG) comprising one mother ship, a “Whaler”, and two skiffs.

On Saturday 24 of April EU NAVFOR Dutch warship HNLMS Johan de Witt prevented yet another pirate group from leaving the Somali coast and confiscated their vessel.

The Swedish Supreme Commander, General Sverker Göranson, visited HSwMS Carlskrona and the Force Headquarters during her last port visit in Djibouti on Friday 23 of April.

On 20th April 2010, a week after joining EU NAVFOR’s anti piracy operation off the coast of Somalia, the Greek frigate ELLI was officially welcomed to the task group with a visit from Force Commander Rear Admiral (LH) Jan Thörnqvist.

During the night of 19th April 2010, 400 nautical miles from the coast of Somalia, French replenishment ship SOMME came under attack from two skiffs with six pirates on board.

On Wednesday 21st April, a Portuguese Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) arrived in Victoria, Seychelles, to augment the other Maritime Patrol aircraft from Sweden and Luxemburg of EU NAVFOR’s anti piracy operation – Atalanta.

On the morning of 21April 2010, the Panamanian Flagged (Liberian owned) M/V VOC DAISY, a bulk carrier of 47,183 dead weight tonnes, was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden, 190 nautical miles East South East of Salalah, Oman.

On 18th April 2010, three Thai fishing vessels from Djibouti, were hijacked 1200 nautical miles east of the coast of Somalia.

On the morning of 19th April EU NAVFOR Operational Head Quarters hosted a visit by the High Representative of the EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Right Honourable the Baroness Ashton.

Malta, which already has an officer working in the Operational HQ at Northwood, will increase her contribution in the fight against piracy off Somalia with the provision of a Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) from April to July, 2010.

Yesterday, 15 April, EU NAVFOR Spanish warship ESPS VICTORIA tracked, boarded and destroyed a Pirate mother ship. This event, just off the coast of Somalia, shows that EU NAVFORs new, more robust strategy is working.

The St Vincent & Grenadines flagged cargo ship MV RAK AFRIKANA, has now arrived off the coast of Somalia in the vicinity of Harardheere.

The pirates that attacked and boarded the MV Taipan on the morning of the 5 April, and subsequently captured by soldiers from HNLMS Tromp, arrived today in the Netherlands on a military transport plane from Djibouti.

At 1200 GMT today, Wednesday the 14 April, the Italian Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero relinquished command of Task Force 465, the EU Naval Force Somalia - Operation Atalanta.

The St Vincent & Grenadines flagged cargo ship MV RAK AFRIKANA has been hijacked this morning 11 April approximately 280 nautical miles west of Seychelles.

EU NAVFOR can confirm that the Turkish flagged Bulk Carrier YASIN C, hijacked 7 of April approximately 250 Nautical Miles east of Mombasahas, has suddenly been released by pirates on the evening of 9 April.  It was reported from Task Force 508 that the pirates had left the ship and the Maste

The Container ship MV NADA beat off a pirate attack on the morning of the 9 April. The vessel is registered with MSCHOA and was reporting to UKMTO.

The designated Swedish Force Commander of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) operating off Somalia, Rear Admiral (LH) Jan Thörnqvist, arrived in Djibouti 5 April onboard the Swedish warship Carlskrona to a warm welcome from the French frigate La Fayette commanded by Commander Eric Delepoulle.

The Turkish flagged Bulk Carrier YASIN C was hijacked earlier today approximately 250 Nautical Miles east of Mombasa.

The Marshal Islands flagged, crude oil tanker Samho Dream, previously reported hijacked approximately 600 nautical miles off the Somali coast in the early hours of 4 April has now arrived off the coast of Somalia.

EU NAVFOR has continued activities designed to disrupt and destroy Pirate Action Groups (PAGs) with combined sea and air operations in the Somali Basin.

MV Taipan, a German flagged and owned container ship of deadweight of 12612 tonnes, was on route to Mombasa from Djibouti when pirates attacked and took control of the ship.

The Marshal Islands flagged, crude oil tanker Samho Dream, was hijacked by pirates approximately 600 nautical miles off the Somali coast in the early hours of 4 April and is now been taken to the Somali coast by pirates.

On Friday, the 2nd of April, a new Pirate Action Group (PAG) made a fast approach on EUNAVFOR Warship HNLMS Tromp and were stopped in their tracks.

On the morning of 2 April, the Italian Flagged container ship Ital Garland came under attack from 2 pirate skiffs firing small arms and rocket propelled grenades approximately 250 nautical miles off the Horn of Africa on route to Mombasa from Salalah.

Two vessels, MV Delmas Nacala and FV Reiman beat off sustained pirate attacks on the evening of 31 March, the attacks being conducted by two separate Pirate Action Groups (PAG). Both vessels are registered with MSCHOA and were reporting to UKMTO.

EU NAVFOR can confirm that the MV FRIGIA, previously reported hijacked on the 23 March, has now arrived off the coast of Somalia near Garacad.