2 more “out of area” pirate attacks. Should Atalanta be strengthened?

(BRUXELLES2) Pirates adapted very quickly to the new situation. Avoiding concentrating their attacks on the Gulf of Aden where the density of warships is higher, they are now attacking on other areas of the Indian Ocean, notably in the northeast of the Seychelles and the southern area of ​​the Somali basin. (off Tanzania).

Thus, on Tuesday, at daybreak, around 6 a.m. (local time), it is a container ship flying the Danish flag, the MV Nele Maersk which was attacked 1000 nautical miles north-east of the Somali coast, not far from the area (within a few tens of miles) where had been yesterday attacked the tanker BW Lion, we learn from Atalanta HQ. The pirates aboard two white skiffs used their automatic weapons on the ship but it was able to evade them by accelerating.

An hour and a half later (local), it was the turn of another container ship, flying the flag of the Marshall Islands, the Mr. V. Felicitas Richmers, to be attacked, this time in the south of the Somali basin: 530 miles east of Dar es Salaam (Tanzaine) and 420 nautical miles west of Victoria (Seychelles). He managed to escape with various evasive methods and speeding up (apparently the use of fire engines and other anti-piracy methods).

A question: should we further extend the field of action of Atalanta?

The whole Indian Ocean is a "pirates-area". There is no longer a "risk-free" zone. The warning message which, until recently, recommended a minimum distance from the Somali coast of 300 nautical miles, a distance increased to 500 then 600 miles now seems obsolete. There is no longer a "zero risk" zone as such. If the Somali coast remains par excellence a zone of all dangers, it is throughout the Indian Ocean, including the approach to the Seychelles that ships must watch out. As a result, we can ask ourselves the question whether we should not also extend the area of ​​coverage of the multinational forces and particularly of the European anti-piracy operation "Atalanta". It had already increased its area of ​​action by a third by covering the Seychelles. If the coverage area should be reviewed, it would still need this area, up to the Mozambique Channel, to the south, and to the east.

This question leads to several others.. From a legal point of view, this does not oblige us to review, at least partially, the resolution of the UN Security Council which only provides for action "off the coast of Somalia" (read Is the extension to the Seychelles legal? Analysis test...)? Because now, it is squarely the coasts of the Seychelles (tomorrow of the Maldives?), of Tanzania (tomorrow of Mayotte, the Comoros or Madagascar) which seem concerned. Operationally, this means reviewing resources. Which is not obvious. General Bentegeat, during his last meeting of the EU Military Committee on November 4, already considered that he lacked means.

A lack of frigates to cover the area. " LMost means are positioned in the Gulf of Aden while most of the
attacks are in the Somali basin, south of the Gulf of Aden. And there (in the south), Atalanta is alone: ​​to escort the boats of the WFP, Amisom and ensure the safety of the other ships. We therefore need more resources in the Somali basin. underlined General Bentegeat. The offer from the Member States does not yet seem to be sufficient. " There are about 3-4 boats committed for 2010 where we would need 6 to 10 to cover this area ». NB: EU Defense Ministers must decide on November 17 to renew Operation Atalanta for a year. They will have to look seriously at this question of resources.

NB: Somali pirates now detain at least 10 ships and hold 200 people hostage.