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Brief blogmaritime piracy

Latest piracy news (May 30, 2011)

(BRUSSELS2) 664 sailors and 43 ships are still in the hands of Somali pirates, according to the latest assessment drawn up by the NGO Ecoterra on 29 May. The European anti-piracy HQ counts 518 hostages and 23 ships (but it does not count the small ships of local fishermen). There list of pirated ships compiled by Eunavfor HQ in Northwood.

I also can't resist dragging you out of a team race at Camp Lemonnier in Djibouti, organized for the benefit of an NGO. Here Heavy Marine Helicopter 364 Unit (credit: Africom / Us Army)

Sunday (May 29). Investigation into the death of a Taiwanese captain

The American representation in Taiwan (the American Institute in Taiwan) confirms the opening of an investigation after the death of the captain of the Taiwanese ship Jih Chun Tsai No.68. The US Navy (USS Stephen W. Groves, member of the NATO "Ocean Shield" force) stormed this fishing vessel, converted into a mother ship by pirates. The captain had died during the assault.

Sunday (May 29). The Iranian Navy thwarts an attack near Yemen

The Iranian navy of the 14th fleet of the Iranian navy - composed of the frigate Bandar Abbas and the destroyer Shahid Naqdi - thwarts an attack, in waters south of Yemen, against the Damavand, an Iranian tanker attacked by a skiff armed by 7 pirates , confirms the Iranian news agency FNA.

Friday (May 27). Penalties fall in South Korea

Three pirates were sentenced to prison terms of between 13 and 15 years by the Seoul court after five days of trial. Another pirate - Mahomed Araye - is sentenced to life imprisonment. He was found guilty of attempted murder of the ship's captain. The verdict on a fifth suspect - who pleaded guilty - is expected to be released on the 1er June. The testimonies of the sailors of the Samho Jewelry, heard during the trial, attest to the brutality of the attacks. The pirates thus used the sailors as human shields when the South Korean commandos tried to take over the ship (they did it twice). No answer the pirates was to show that they were alive... The captain, 58 years old, hit by several bullets, had to be operated on several times and is still hospitalized. If he was injured by the South Korean commandos, at least one bullet came from the weapon (AK-47) of the Somalian Mahomed Araye, considered the Court " no doubt reasonable “, bullet which seriously injured him (it came from an AK47).

Friday (May 27) Transfer Agreement between Denmark and Seychelles

Denmark and Seychelles finalize an agreement to transfer suspected pirates. Denmark, although a member of the European Union, does not participate in the European anti-piracy operation Eunavfor Ataltanta and therefore cannot benefit from the agreements signed by the EU. In the absence of a judgment in Denmark, or an express request from a country that wants to try the suspects, the Danish sailors, who are nevertheless particularly active, are therefore obliged to release the arrested suspects.

Thursday (May 26) A Danish plan against piracy

The Danish government presents a medium-term anti-piracy plan to Parliament. The horizon is set for 2014. The government is thus committed to putting a navy ship six months a year in the area dedicated to the fight against piracy, as well as a maritime surveillance aircraft, Challenger type, for a shorter period of time, if necessary ". Denmark is also in favor of more robust actions for NATO forces, in particular to bombard the camps and bases of the pirates ashore, or to send forces ashore, in exceptional cases. But the plan does not hide that the risk of escalation is significant. It is not " not excluded that the pirates following an increased and sustained international action which threaten their means of subsistence, are more threatening against the hostages » and take action, that we are thus witnessing « executions ". The collection of evidence on vessels victimized by pirates would be reinforced. A working group bringing together police and military has been set up. And arrangements will be made for the presence of armed guards on board ships. Finally, Denmark has donated 2 million crowns to the UNDOC program to strengthen judicial and penitentiary capacities in Somalia. NB: The country has several nationals in the hands of pirates. And several of his ships, which carry his flag, have already been attacked.

Wednesday (May 25). Piracy trial postponed in Brussels

The first piracy trial which was to open before a Belgian court has been postponed to allow more time for his lawyer to study the file, specifies the Belga agency and the Belgian press. Omar Mohammed Abdiwahad is charged with having hijacked the Pompei between April and June 2009. He has been formally recognized by several sailors. Traces of DNA and his fingerprints were found on board the boat. He was arrested in November 2010 by the Belgian frigate, Louise-Marie, during another attack, against the Petra I, a ship flying the flag of Sierra Leone, and then transferred by plane. He has been held on remand since December 10. Initially, he was to be tried in Bruges, but the jurisdiction of the Brussels Criminal Court, competent for maritime cases, was finally recognized. Read : The Louise-Marie back home. Interview with its commander Carl Gillis et  First transfer of a pirate for trial in Belgium

Tuesday (May 24). Seizure of ransom money

Somali security forces seize $3,6 million on board two planes at Mogadishu airport and arrest their occupants (Americans, British and Kenyans). This money could have been used, according to Andrew Mwangura, the maritime editor of Somali Report, to pay the ransoms of various sailors detained by the pirates, the Mr. V. Yuan Xiang and MV Suez. The six men arrested were employees of a private company, Salama Fikira, based in Mauritius, according to the daily telegraph. NB: This is, to my first knowledge, the first time that money intended for ransom has been seized at the airport.

Thursday (May 19). BMPs soon mandatory? The Commission is considering it

Siim Kallas, the European Commissioner for Transport, announced it in Gdansk, on the occasion of European Maritime Day. Calling on all maritime operators to apply the "best management practices"to prevent pirate attacks, it confirms" consider the need to make this provision mandatory for ships sailing in pirate areas ". A “Special attention will also be given to better ship design to deter piracy. And the issue of armed guards needs to be addressed ».

Tuesday (May 17). Frank and cordial Sino-European meeting

Taking advantage of a joint stopover in Djibouti, the commanders of the European anti-piracy operation (CTF 468) and its Chinese equivalent (TF 526), ​​Commanders Gonzalo Parente de Castro and Zhou Zhicheng, met. An interview, which took place explains at Northwood HQ in a " frank and cordial atmosphere ", to " to exchange impressions and ideas on how to fight piracy and other maritime issues ". China has a quasi-permanent presence in the Indian Ocean - currently Maanshan and Wenzhou, assisted by the tanker Qiandaohu - and integrated multinational coordination within Shade. But if Europeans and Chinese share the same desire to fight against piracy, the methods sometimes seem different. The Chinese do not hesitate in particular to fire directly on the boats which they suspect of being pirates. Method rejected by Europeans, even if they want to commit to slightly more robust methods, because it encourages escalation. Read also: Chinese visit to EUNAVFOR headquarters

Nicolas Gros Verheyde

Chief editor of the B2 site. Graduated in European law from the University of Paris I Pantheon Sorbonne and listener to the 65th session of the IHEDN (Institut des Hautes Etudes de la Défense Nationale. Journalist since 1989, founded B2 - Bruxelles2 in 2008. EU/NATO correspondent in Brussels for Sud-Ouest (previously West-France and France-Soir).

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