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Izurdia pirates transferred to Spain

(credit: Spanish army)

(BRUSSELS2) An Air Force Boeing 707 picked up the six pirates suspected of having attacked the Spanish tuna boat Izurdia in Djibouti. Escorted by a Navy Police unit, he landed at Torrejón de Ardoz air base (near Madrid) on Wednesday (October 31). And the suspects were handed over to the national police.

They were arrested on October 10 by Dutch soldiers from HNLMS Rotterdam (which is taking part in Operation Ocean Shield), who used a helicopter and a drone. Before being arrested, however, the pirates had time to throw down their weapons, among which an RPG-7 was spotted. This technique of pirates being now regular, sailors participating in multi-national operations to fight against piracy have taken the habit of taking photos to identify the weapons on board the skiffs as during their apprehension. Among the 7 suspects arrested, one was a minor and was released. For the other six, the Central Court of Instruction No. 3 of the Audiencia Nacional has recognized its jurisdiction and decreed their transfer to Spain.

The "Castilla" of the Spanish navy - which is participating in the Eunavfor Atalanta operation - took charge of the suspects and transferred them to Djibouti, for air repatriation to Spain.

Read also: Spanish tuna boat attacked, 7 suspects boarded

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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