Press Releases

 In the early morning of 17 December, the Combined Maritime Force (CMF) joined forces with EUNAVFOR to evacuate a crew member from the MV Hannibal II after reports were received that he had a possible appendicitis.

At a ceremony in Djibouti on board the EUNAVFOR French warship, FGS DE GRASSE, Rear Admiral (FR) Philippe Coindreau, who has been the Force Commander of EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA for the last four months, handed over to Rear Admiral Juan Rodriguez of Spain.

In the early hours of 11 December, the MV RENUAR was pirated in the Indian Ocean, approximately 1050 nautical miles east of the Somali coastal village of Eyl and a distance of 550 nautical miles from the coast of India.

On 11 December 2010, the Liberian-flagged MV ELENI P was released from pirate control.

On the afternoon of 10 December, the MV PANAMA was pirated by 2 armed skiffs with a total of 5 pirates on board.  A Rocket Propelled Grenade was used during the attack which occurred approximately 80 nautical miles east of the Tanzanian/Mozambique border.

Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne commended the efforts of all those involved in helping to combat piracy in Seychelles during visits made yesterday to meet representatives from EU NAVFOR and the Seychelles Coastguard.

In the early hours of 26 November, the MV ALBEDO was pirated approximately 900 nautical miles East of Mogadishu (Somalia).

On 24 November, a joint operation between two EU NAVFOR aircraft and the EU NAVFOR warship FS SOMME enabled the disruption of seven suspected pirates.

The Seychelles Coast Guard apprehended a total of 16 suspected pirates the last five days after being cued each time by two EU NAVFOR aircraft.

On 17 November 2010, whilst sailing in the Gulf of Aden, the EU NAVFOR French Flagship FS DE GRASSE intercepted and disrupted a Pirate Action Group comprising of one skiff with seven suspected pirates onboard.

In the early hours of 14 November, EU NAVFOR warship BNS LOUISE MARIE located an overturned Yemeni fishing vessel in the Gulf of Aden, 70 nautical miles off the Yemeni coast.

On 13 November, the EU NAVFOR warship SPS INFANTA CRISTINA intercepted a whaler with four suspected pirates on board.  The whaler was located 200 nautical miles off the Somali Coast.  The SPS INFANTA CRISTINA was patrolling the area as part of the EU NAVFOR’s Operation ATALANTA.