2 mother ships, Indian and Iranian, neutralized by NATO forces (Maj)
(BRUSSELS2) In quick succession, the NATO anti-piracy forces freed two dhows used as a mother ship by Somali pirates. The first intervention took place on Friday (January 6) to the south-west of the coast of Oman, in the international corridor, on the Al-Qashmi. This is the American ship USS Carney who was in charge.
An Indian dhow...
With information that this Indian-flagged dhow had been hijacked, USS Carney followed him until it was possible to intercept him without damage. American sailors brandished a text to persuade the pirates to stop and allow the visit on board. Once on board, the search and visit team found physical evidence of piracy. After questioning the dhow crew, they revealed that they had been captured by 9 pirates who were operating from another dhow. The suspects were released back on board one of their skiffs with enough fuel, food and water to return to Somalia. While the crew of Al-Qashmi was assisted to get back on the road.
… then another dhow, Iranian this time
The other operation took place not far from the Somali coast, off Bossasso. This time it was the Danish frigate HDMS Absalon who was maneuvering, with an Iranian dhow as their target. During a reconnaissance maneuver the Danish helicopter spotted skiffs fitted with fast outboard motors on the dhow. " Which is rather unusual for a dhow (of fishermen)” notes a NATO soldier “ but characteristic of the methods used by hackers ". After warning shots, the visiting teams of the Absalon set off to attack the dhow, under the protection of the helicopter. The crew of 14 members (5 Iranians and 9 Pakistanis) are released. And 25 suspects are arrested, as well as all the classic pirate paraphernalia. They are " currently detained on the Absalon, pending further investigation and a decision on their prosecution. What should be done in the next few days “, specifies the HQ of the NATO anti-piracy operation, in Northwood (United Kingdom). " The operation took place as planned and without injuries to the crew, hostages or pirates. “, declared for his part, the commander of the Absalon, Captain Carsten Fjord Larsen.
« We inflicted on the piracy organizers a severe loss of action potential, neutralizing two dhows, with a total of 34 suspects rejoiced the commander of CTF 508 (the NATO force), the Turkish rear admiral, Sinan Azmi Tosun. Note that this is the second Iranian dhow released in a few hours; the previous one had it by the USS Kidd (also read: 13 Iranian fishermen freed by the US Navy. A diplomatic gesture too).
NB: The CTF 508 currently commanded by the Turks consists of 5 ships — TCG Giresun (Turkey) which is the flagship, the frigate HDMS Absalon (Denmark), the supply ship RFA Fort Victoria (United Kingdom), USS Dewert and USS Carney (USA) — and 1 Danish patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.
(Update: 16 p.m., adds the statements of the Danish captain)
