The Chemical Tanker MV HANNIBAL II, was released from pirate control on 17 March 2011. The Panamanian flagged vessel was hijacked on 11 November 2010, approximately 860 nautical miles East of the Horn of Africa.
The vessel and her crew of 30 are believed to be making for a safe port. The crew members are from Tunisia, Philippines, Croatia, Georgia, Russia and Morocco.
The vessel had 31 crew members on board when she was taken but, as previously reported by the EU on the 17 December, EU NAVFOR joined the Combined Maritime Force (CMF) to evacuate a crew member after reports were received that he had a possible appendicitis.
According to the owner all the crew members are safe and in good health.
EUNAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). EU NAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy. In addition, EUNAVFOR monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.