Latest news on piracy (May 13, 2012): two mother ships neutralized, a Greek tanker caught
(BRUSSELS2) Business is picking up, so to speak. The Somali pirates have successfully captured a Greek tanker, one of the few for several months. Anti-piracy forces have neutralized two mother ships, one off the Somali coast, the other off the Yemeni coast. The pirates are currently holding 8 ships, according to the European anti-piracy HQ in Northwood, and 235 hostages (not including local dhows and dhows). Since the beginning of the year, the number of catches has decreased: there have been only 4 vessels thus captured.
Neutralization of a mother ship off the coast of Somalia
On Friday (May 11), the Dutch soldiers of the Van Amstel (which is taking part in the European operation Eunavfor Atalanta) freed an Iranian dhow used as a mother ship by the pirates, 400 miles off the Somali coast. The helicopter on board had spotted this dhow dragging two small skiffs with ladders. The Marine Rifles Response Team responded. On board, they found arms and ammunition. 11 suspected pirates were arrested and transferred to the frigate. The crew of 17 sailors was released and was able to continue on its way, indicates the General Staff of the Dutch navy. He had been captured ten days earlier.
... and another off Yemen
The same day, several miles away, it was a Yemeni dhow that was freed by the Turks of TCG Giresun, the flagship of the operation Ocean Shield (anti-piracy) NATO Friday (May 11). The helicopter on board a Seahawk S-70B spotted the dhow around 15 p.m. 190 miles off the coast of Yemen and stopped it. The boarding team then intervened and arrested 21 men: 14 Somali pirates and the 7 men of the sui dhow crew were released. On board a small arsenal (1 RPG 7 rocket launcher and nine AK 47) which leaves no doubt about the intentions on the destination of the dhow.
Greek tanker captured by pirates
Le MT Smyrni, a Liberian-flagged Greek tanker operated by Dynacom, was captured by the pirates on Thursday (May 10). It left Turkey with 135.000 tonnes of crude. Contact was lost off Oman around 11:15 Gmt. He took the road to Somalia. On board a crew of 17 sailors, Indians and Filipinos.
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