A Spanish fishing vessel captured by pirates (maj3)

(BRUSSELS2) A Spanish Basque fishing vessel, the Alakrana (a tuna boat), was captured early Friday morning (around 6:30 a.m.) by
pirates in the Indian Ocean. The incident occurred 360 miles off the Somali coast, Atalanta HQ confirmed. The crew numbers 36 people (16 Spaniards, 2 Malaysians, 3 Senegalese, 4 Ghanaians, 2 Ivorians, 8 Indonesians and 1 Seychellois).

In the area, there were about fifteen fishing boats, Basque and Galician. But there is little information, the pirates having cut off all communications as soon as they arrived on board. The operation could be carried out in a few minutes (7 minutes according to the Spanish media). This is the first "successful" attack by a ship since early August. (1)

At the first indication of an attack, a maritime patrol aircraft from Atalanta, based in the Seychelles, went to the area. He confirmed the hijacking of the fishing boat and could not spot any other vessel in the vicinity, indicating that the pirates were operating from a skiff, with a large supply of fuel, now towed behind the Alakrana.

The Spanish Defense Minister, Carme Chacon, had drawn the attention of her colleagues to Gothenburg for a greater presence of Atalanta's resources in the southern basin of the area, where the fishermen are.

Basque fishermen had repeatedly asked for stronger protection from their government. But, unlike their French counterparts who boarded the military, the Spaniards had to resort to private guards. Spanish law does not allow the boarding of soldiers, explained the Minister. And it was this solution that was proposed, with the additional possibility that these guards could be equipped with long-range and high-precision rifles. But the fishing professionals rejected this solution, believing that nothing replaced the professionalism of the soldiers.

Here is the communication from Atalanta:"During the early morning of October 2nd 2009 the Spanish Fishing Vessel ALAKRANA was hijacked in the Indian Ocean by pirates at some 360 ​​nautical miles off the east coast of Somalia. On first indication of an attack an EU NAVFOR patrol aircraft, based in the Seychelles was tasked to investigate the situation. The aircraft confirmed the hijack of the fishing vessel and did not detect any other vessel in the vicinity, indicating the pirates operated from the skiff with an extensive load of fuel now towed behind the ALAKRANA.After the latest monsoon this is the first successful hijack since the beginning of august. On the first indication of an attack an EU NAVFOR patrol aircraft, based in the Seychelles was tasked to investigate the situation. The aircraft confirmed the hijack of the fishing vessel and did not detect any other vessel in the vicinity, indicating the pirates operated from the skiff with an extensive load of fuel now towed behind the ALAKRANA. "

(1) Contrary to what has been said, it is not the same ship that was attacked at the beginning of September. It was then the Alakrana II. A Spanish Basque tuna boat too.