Arrest of the 5 pirates in the Gulf of Aden (Update)

(BRUSSELS2) The perpetrators of the January 17 attack on the tanker Nave Atropos flying the flag of the Mashall Islands near the Yemeni and Omani coasts were arrested late Saturday morning (January 18). It is the flagship of the European anti-piracy operation Atalanta, the TCD Siroco (France), aided by Japanese means, which stopped, in the Gulf of Aden, a dhow serving as a mother ship for the pirates (the Shane Hind).

On the night of Friday 17 January 2014, the staff of the European naval force EUNAVFOR Atalanta, on board the TCD Siroco, had been alerted via the Mercury network (which serves as a platform for information between all forces in the area) of the attack on the tanker. A Japanese P3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft and a first spotting by the ship's helicopter JS Samidare first made it possible to locate the dhow.

Le TCD Siroco which was not far away then took over, with its on-board helicopter, Alouette III, to stop the dhow, followed by a boarding party on board a RHIB to arrest its occupants. The soldiers precisely identified the dhow as being the one sought during the attack.

(As usual), the suspects in sight of the helicopter began by throwing their various piracy equipment overboard. Maneuver duly recorded by the French helicopter, and the sailors of the RHIB. The crew of 11 sailors, Indians, was freed and five suspects arrested. THE " 5 suspected pirates were taken care of by the Siroco crew in accordance with legal rules “says one to the General Staff of the French army. They have " underwent a medical examination and were able to eat while awaiting the procedure for collecting evidence to allow the prosecution of the alleged pirates in court..

(MAJ) 21.01 with details on the judicial follow-up