The Galicia also thwarts a pirate attack

(BRUSSELS2) Sailors from the spanish amphibious ship Galicia today dismantled a group of pirates a few hundred meters off the east coast of Somalia.

A group of 3 boats - a whaler and 2 skiffs - had been spotted by the helicopter of the frigate, after three days of intelligence, specifies the command of the Spanish navy. The follow-up made it possible to gather the necessary evidence to be convinced that these boats were not those of harmless fishermen but of pirates determined to take action.

On the instructions of the head of the European anti-piracy force EUNAVFOR, the sailors of the Galicia then took action. It was about 500 meters off the Somali coast. The 3 boats and 11 incriminated pirates were apprehended. None resisted according to the Spanish Navy. On board were found several barrels of fuel, jerry cans, ladders, several weapons and ammunition magazines, which were seized. The whaler and a skiff were destroyed. The 11 pirates were put back on board a skiff, heading for the coast.

This action is part of a modification of the operation plan (OpPlan) of the EUNAVFOR Atalanta mission endorsed at the informal meeting of Defense Ministers in Palma de Mallorca (1) to carry out close surveillance of the Somali coasts by preventing as much as possible for the pirate ships to reach the open sea. The De Grasse had thus intercepted, on Friday, a group of pirates (2).

(1) Atalanta will receive the mandate to monitor the Somali coast
(2) A group of pirates dismantled near the Somali coast

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)