ESPS Navarra on duty
Early on the morning of Tuesday 23 March, an EU NAVFOR warship received a distress call from a merchant ship off the Somalia coast and proceeded at high speed to assist.
As previously reported, the Panamanian-flagged cargo ship, MV ALMEZAAN, en route to Mogadishu, was under attack from pirates. An armed private vessel protection detachment on board the ship returned fire, successfully repelling the first attack, but the pirates continued to pursue. A second attack was repelled and the pirates fled the area.
The EU NAVFOR frigate ESPS NAVARRA, from the Spanish Navy, was dispatched by the Force Commander, Rear Admiral Giovanni Gumiero of the Italian Navy, and raced to the scene of the incident. She launched her helicopter, quickly locating the ALMEZAAN and the pirates’ boats, known as skiffs. When the suspects failed to heed the helicopter’s instructions to stop, warning shots were fired by the aircraft, after which a team from NAVARRA boarded a skiff.
There were three boats, comprising one mother ship and two pirate skiffs. In the first skiff they found three suspected pirates and, in the second, three suspects and a fourth individual, who had died. The body has been transferred to NAVARRA, and an investigation indicated that the individual had died from small calibre gunshot wounds. The mother ship has now been destroyed and the remaining six suspects have been taken onboard the NAVARRA.
Earlier this week the Spanish ship provided assistance to the crew of an Iranian dhow who had been attacked and robbed by pirates. An EU NAVFOR boarding party provided water, food and fuel to enable the crew to return home safely.
EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP) and vessels of AMISOM, and to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.
Latest comments - Read comments or add your own
comment by rof
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
WELL DONE THE MAN WHO PULLED THE TRIGGER
About time!!!
If they don’t like the heat keep out the kitchen.
No sympathy what-so-ever for the dead idiot!!!!!!
comment by Morely Dotes
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!
It’s time to put a bounty on pirates: $1000 for every pirate captured alive, $5000 for every pirate killed.
comment by Tim M.
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
Great shot!!! Happy to hear the shipping companies are taking a stand and hiring private security. But now the UN is looking into the shooting to see if the shot was “legal.” It is great to see that the UN has to look into a self defense killing after being attacked twice by the same pirate boat.
comment by Tim M.
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
Source from NY Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/world/africa/25pirate.html?ref=africa
comment by Kurgen99
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
How much does it cost to be a “private security” shooter for a week or two?
Where do I sign up?
comment by Jim Nicoll
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
Seems like this was a popular event. However it remains to be seen if in fact those ships without on board security guards will suffer more severe attacks and as a result casualties. I sincerely hope not. Please visit http://www.faceofshipping.com for another perspective
comment by Matt
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
Bravo. I posted a little deal on my blog about this as well, and my only question is why weren’t they able to kill all of the pirates? Were they only using Glocks or something? I would like to know what the security detail was armed with and if EU NAVFOR could produce an AAR on this incident, that would be great. Good job.
http://feraljundi.com/2010/03/25/maritime-security-private-security-repels-an-assault-one-pirate-killed/
comment by Megumi
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
@Kurgen99 Wow, you’d pay for a chance to shoot and kill other human beings, particularly ones who’ve come from such a miserable place as Somalia?
@Morely Dotes How will you identify dead pirates for the bounty? Their pirate ID cards? What will stop entrepreneurial spirits from just shooting innocent Somalis for the bounty?
comment by Jim Nicoll
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
Hello to the gung ho gun toters – the six comrades of the blown away guy were released after one day. Reason – the vessels crew and security guards did not provide sufficient evidence. Non of us may like this fact but there it is.
Visit http://www.faceofshipping.com and blog there also on the piracy article.
comment by Lito Dailisan
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
I agree. What will the six would-be pirates do afterwards? They are not only frustrated but angered by the loss of one of their own. They will likely take to sea again. And vent their anger on the next commercial ship. Private security contractors might have protected MV ALMEZAAN but not the next ship and its crew. http://www.faceofshipping.com has a point.
comment by Arthur Dent
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
“What will stop entrepreneurial spirits from just shooting innocent Somalis for the bounty?”
Hmmm, now there’s a thought. I guess that all those Somali “fishing” boats filled with guys catching fish with their AK-47s really are innocent.
comment by Cdr John Harbour
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
I am always grateful for comments on the press releases but let us not forget that a man has lost his life even if he did bring it upon himself by carrying out a criminal act using a lethal weapon and put others in danger by doing so. We would rather bring these criminals before a judge and will do so whenever possible. This death of a pirate is not the first and will, sadly, not be the last. It is hoped that other young men in Somalia will not risk their lives for the sake of enriching the businessmen who control them without taking any risks themselves.
Spokesman EU NAVFOR
comment by Bjørn Haave
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
Seafarers are seafarers not bloody soldiers.
comment by jimmy
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
pour gas on one of them climbing up the ladder. Then drop a match and turn him into a lightning bug. that will make them think.
comment by Jim Nicoll
posted 5 months, 1 week ago
The days of summary executions are long gone as recent and ongoing trials of those who have acted in this way demonstrate to all. The six who survived were released for lack of evidence. The pirates have in fact been quite gentle in their treatment of hostages.
What was the original reason behind some of the Somali people turn to piracy? It was to protect their traditional fishing ground that fed their familes. How would you react to someone stealing your natural food resourse leading to starvation of your family?
I do not condone piracy acts however even under the protection of the worlds finest naval power and technology it is a very attractive proposition as it allows a “pirate” to step out of poverty to a life style that otherwise is beyond his dreams.
See http://www.faceofshipping.com for more information.