Private guards arrive on board Spanish tuna boats (maj)

(BRUSSELS2, updated Nov 14, with photos) The Ministry of Defense chartered, on Friday, a Boeing 707 plane from the Spanish Armed Force (Grupo 47) to transport to the Seychelles this weekend (they arrive Saturday morning at Victoria Airport), private guards from Segur Iberica and the armament allowing, finally, the 16 Spanish fishing vessels operating in the Indian Ocean to defend themselves against pirate attacks and to return to sea with new protection in the middle of next week, report the Spanish media. The cost of these troops will be borne in part by the Spanish State (25%) and the provinces. to nNote: other Basque ships flying the Seychelles flag already have private agents on board.

Training provided by the Spanish military. The government also provided additional training for these men as well as their transportation to the spot. The training was carried out in a naval barracks in Cartagena (Murcia). The guards thus received
notions on attack procedures and the approach used by pirates, issues related to life at sea, detention and custody of
prisoners, first aid, and characteristics of tuna fishing vessels. These guards may be armed with machine guns and assault rifles up to 20 mm (weapons considered as war in Spain), the government having modified the law which until now prohibited these weapons. Initially, they will have at their disposal 7,62 mm machine guns and 5,56 mm assault rifles. Subsequently, they will receive Browning 12,7 mm heavy machine guns.

(photo credit: Spanish Ministry of Defence)