(B2) The crossing of a Dutch container ship in the Indian Ocean this week almost turned into a nightmare
A VPD team in the Red Sea - October 2016 (credit: MOD Netherlands / Archive B2)
While the container ship sailed quietly, uA small fleet of pirates suddenly appeared. Six skiffs with 4 to 6 men on board surrounded the 150 meter long vessel on both sides to take it in pincers. A well thought out maneuver that could have succeeded...
But there was on board a Dutch Marine Corps Ship Protection Detachment (VPD). The security team has took position on the deck of a ship,clearly showing their weapons “says the press release from the Ministry of Defense. With warning shots, one might add.
The two effects combined were enough of a deterrent for the attackers to turn back. The ship then resumed its course and was able to sail unimpeded to the Egyptian port city of Safaga.
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).
