A Swiss ship calls EUNAVFOR without answer…
(B2) This is at least what Eric André, president of the Swiss shipowners and boss of Suisse-Atlantique, confided to the Swiss daily 24 hours summarizing the report he received from the (Ukrainian) captain Shcherbyna of the "Nyon". , a Swiss bulk carrier loaded with iron ore from Ukraine for China. Uplifting testimony.
Fortunately the Indian and Russian navies were there. "According to custom, the Nyon announced (February 19) to the European coalition, 48 hours before entering the Gulf of Aden. The captain then gave his position every eight hours, but he received no response from the Europeans. Fortunately, he was placed just behind a convoy escorted by the Indian frigate Tabar. It was the Indian commander who himself proposed to the captain of the Nyon to join them. According to its captain, the Vaud freighter also benefited from "the close protection of the Russian destroyer Admiral-Vinogradov and military helicopters flying over the convoy ". The Nyon was integrated into a convoy of six freighters sailing in two parallel lines. The crew of the Nyon was well advised to be wary, according to the shipowner. At the same time, a Greek freighter flying the Maltese flag and carrying coal – Saldanha – was captured 60 km away. Despite the presence of a British frigate, the HMS Northumberland, mobilized as part of Operation Atalanta and cruising less than a hundred kilometers away!
A device to review according to the Swiss shipowner. “It is absolutely unacceptable that our freighter could not establish contact with the European coalition or the Swiss authorities. The “Atalanta” device is unrealistic. It is impracticable”, emphasizes Eric André. For his part, the captain of Nyon stresses that the current procedure of giving his position every eight hours is not satisfactory: “The pirates are thus kept informed of the position, movements and speed of the convoys.
(read the full article on 24 hour website)
