A group of pirates foiled near the Somali coast. 12 suspects arrested (upd3)
(BRUSSELS2 exclusive) Anti-piracy forces from the European Union and NATO foiled the activity of a group of pirates who were raging around the Somali coast, according to our information. A merchant ship had indeed been attacked by a pirate skiff on Saturday (January 5) off the Somali coast, at around 3° North and 51° East, near Ceeldhere (Galguduud region), between Somalia and Seychelles. Six pirates were on board the skiff, armed with light weapons and an RPG-type rocket launcher. The crew of MSC Jasmine — a Cypriot container ship flying the Panamanian flag — took refuge in the citadel. And the team of private guards on board swung into action. Exchanges of fire took place, no personnel were injured on board the ship (it is not yet known whether pirates were injured). The vessel managed to escape continuing on its way to Mombasa. But the description of the skiff has been given. After being alerted and spotted by the maritime patrol aircraft, the pirate skiff as well as the mother ship could be boarded.
Combined air-sea, Franco-American-German operation
(Update) The attack was confirmed late by the HQ of the EU operation "Atalanta". More details could thus be given. It is first the helicopter of the American ship USS Halyburton (FFG-40) of Operation Ocean Shield, which intervened. It was only 80 miles from the place of the attack (located 260 miles from the coast). He was thus able to locate the suspect skiff with several men on board: it was the mother boat. An American team aboard a RHIB therefore intervened to keep them under arrest on their boat. The French frigate Surcouf (F-711) - and its British Lynx helicopter - closed at high speed. She had just stopped at Port-Victoria in the Seychelles on Thursday. She did 200 miles in a few hours arriving in the early morning in the area to take over.
The important work of the P3 Orion
As my colleague Thomas Wiegold, from Augergeradeaus, notable scouting work was carried out by the German P3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft. For the Bundeswehr team, based in Djibouti, it was a rest day. But as soon as the alarm was given, they took to the air. In less than 3 hours, the plane was in the area, as Lieutenant Commander Daniel Wolfen, head of the German P3 Orion Task Force, proudly asserts. A remarkable time given all the tests and checklists necessary before any flight in operational deployment, says my German colleague. Night had come. And it is thanks to the thermal camera, the crew of the Orion was able to locate the mother ship, and guide the crew of the Surcouf like halyburton.
Twelve suspects apprehended
The 12 suspects were thus apprehended - on Sunday - by the French soldiers of the boarding crews in two stages: first of all the pirates of the skiff (there were only two on board), then those of the whaler serving as a boat mother (there were ten on board). They were brought on board for further investigation. " The suspects are currently being interrogated to gather evidence for possible prosecution “We thus indicate to the HQ of Atalanta in Northwood. They could - if the outcome is positive - be handed over to the authorities of a neighboring country - Seychelles for example - if the local prosecutor considers the evidence sufficient to allow prosecution.
Multiple queries
One can naturally wonder why the American ship did not directly intercept the pirates? One of the explanations is quite simply the wider ability to track ships operating under the European flag. One can also wonder about the results of the exchanges of fire on the pirate side? No information on this side. We can especially be surprised at the delay taken by the authorities of both Ocean Shield and Eunavfor Atalanta to confirm this incident as the nature of the response? B2 published the first information on this incident on the evening of January 6. We immediately interrogated (Sunday) the two HQs. No response occurred. It took 48 hours to get official confirmations. Amazing!
(Shift) Details provided on the circumstances of the attack and the response of the anti-piracy forces, on January 8, addition of photos on January 13
