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First capture of the year by the pirates, off the coast of Eritrea. A false alarm (Shift)

(BRUSSELS2) A ship was captured by pirates in the Red Sea off Asmara (Eritrea), announce the maritime forces (at 15° North, almost 40° East). The incident took place on Saturday (January 18), late afternoon local time, very close to the Eritrean coast, near the island of Asarka. THE MV Marzooqah is a container ship (RoRo) owned by a Saudi Arabian shipowner flying the Togolese flag and including a crew from different countries (Indians and Egyptians in particular).

An area little frequented by pirates

This is the first time in a long time that a catch has taken place so close to the Eritrean coast. (Also read: The Indian Navy on the hunt. A captured mother ship. But the pirates continue). We must be careful not to draw any conclusions (especially on the existence of a new "gang" based in Eritrea) before having more information on these facts. In the past, incidents had taken place but they were sometimes linked to neighborhood "conflicts" between Eritrea and Yemen (see Tragic misunderstanding in the Red Sea according to the Yemenis). Because this area was not the most at risk in the area. It is also outside the corridor (IRTC) protected by international anti-piracy forces (Europeans, NATO, Americans, Russians, Chinese...). If the event is confirmed, it would show, at the time when the International Maritime Bureau publishes a positive assessment of the year 2013, that piracy has not been completely eradicated. It is a fact that is certain. Read : First attack of the year off Socotra

(Update - Sun 14 p.m.). The caution shown in our comment has proven to be correct. The latest information received reports that the ship was boarded by the Eritrean "coastguards". " The sailors believed in a pirate attack and gave the alert A spokesperson for the EUNavfor Atalanta operation explained to B2. " Before realizing that it was a takeover by the border guards (from Eritrea). “And to add:” there was no intervention of EUNavfor resources (plane or ship) contrary to what a Reuters dispatch had first indicated.

Note that Eritrea is one of the most closed (and poorest) countries in the world. Of Marxist obedience, he fears any delivery of arms to possible or potential "opponents", and is particularly sensitive on his territorial waters, in a place that could not be more strategic.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

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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