The Dhow was suspected of operating as a pirate mothership

During the morning of 13 May, the EU NAVFOR Portuguese warship NRP Vasco da Gama  successfully intercepted a Dhow which is suspected of operating as a pirate mothership.

The Dhow, whose original crew were being held on board by the suspected pirates as hostages, was attempting to deploy into the Indian Ocean and was considered to be a clear  and present danger to merchant shipping in the area.  For this reason, the Portuguese warship warned the Dhow verbally to turn around and make its way back to the pirate anchorage.

Only when the verbal warnings were ignored did the NRP Vasco da Gama and her helicopter fire warning shots in the direction of the suspected pirate vessel.  The Dhow quickly turned around and make its way back toward the Somali coast.  The Portuguese warship monitored the suspected pirates until they reached their anchorage.

With the onset of the South West Monsoon in the area, which brings with it worsening weather and rough seas , this may have been the last chance that this particular pirate group would have had to deploy into the Indian Ocean to attack merchant vessels.

The NRP Vasco da Gama is currently acting as the Flagship for the EU NAVFOR.  She is a multi-purpose Frigate with 3400 tons of displacement and a crew of 212.  She has one organic helicopter on available and two boarding teams embarked.

The Dhow suspected of being used as a Pirate Action Group (PAG) mothership

During the afternoon of the 13 May, the EU NAVFOR French warship FS NIVÔSE disrupted a Dhow that was suspected of being used as a Pirate Action Group (PAG) mothership since it was pirated over a year ago.

The Dhow, which is suspected of having carried out several recent attacks in the Arabian Sea and which still has her original crew on board as hostages, was spotted by an EU NAVFOR German Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) earlier the same day.  Once identified, the Dhow was tracked by the MPRA which guided the FS NIVOSE into position.

In the morning of 13 May, the French warship and her helicopter approached the suspected pirate dhow and ordered her to stop.  During the approach, several weapons and two attack skiffs were seen on board the Dhow.  As she was considered to pose a very real threat to merchant shipping in the area and after several verbal warnings, the FS NIVOSE was forced to fire warning shots at the Dhow in an attempt to get her to comply.  The warning shots were also ignored but the Dhow changed course back toward Somalia.

Concerns for the safety of the hostages, who are under constant threat of death or violence from the suspected pirates, prevented the FS NIVOSE from taking any further action against the suspect vessel but, unwilling to let her go with her attack skiffs on board, the French warship entered into a lengthy conversation with the suspected pirates who were ordered to abandon the skiffs.  Snipers from the Estonian Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) on board the FS NIVOSE proved vital to reinforce this order.

The skiffs were eventually abandoned by the suspected pirates and the Dhow sailed off in the direction of Somalia.  Without attack skiffs, it is nearly impossible for a Pirate Attack Group to launch further attacks.

Boarding team of FS NIVOSE investigating the suspected Pirate Whaler.

On 5th March, an EU NAVFOR aircraft and the EU NAVFOR French warship FS NIVOSE disrupted a suspected pirate whaler off the Somali coast.  The whaler was suspected of leading a Pirate Action Group (PAG) at the time of the incident.

On the morning of 4th March, a merchant vessel reported being chased by one skiff about 350 Nautical Miles south of Mogadishu.  In response, the EU NAVFOR warship FS NIVOSE was immediately ordered to locate and disrupt the suspected PAG responsible for the incident.  In addition, the EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) which is supplied by Luxembourg and based in The Seychelles was also dispatched to join the hunt.  The aircraft located the suspected PAG, consisting of a whaler-type open boat, soon after and guided the FS NIVOSE to intercept.  There were no attack skiffs found in the vicinity of the whaler.

Upon finding the whaler, the FS NIVOSE launched its helicopter which was forced to fire warning shots ahead of the vessel to force the suspected pirates to stop.  The crew of the whaler had already been filmed by the MPRA throwing equipment overboard.  The French warship launched its boarding team to intercept the whaler and 3 suspected pirates were found on board.  Apart from a large number of fuel barrels, no pirate related equipment was discovered.   

As there was insufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution, the three suspected pirates were returned to the whaler.  Most of the fuel was confiscated but they were left with enough fuel, food and water to reach the Somali coast. 

This disruption has hampered pirate action in the area and is assessed to have prevented attacks on merchant and other vulnerable vessels.

EUNAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM). EUNAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy. EUNAVFOR finally monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia

The EU NAVFOR warship SPS GALICIA, with her helicopter, her boarding team, and with the support of an EU NAVFOR Aircraft located and disrupted two Pirate Action Groups comprising of 2 skiffs with 11 suspected pirates onboard

On 2 and 3 November 2010, the EU NAVFOR warship SPS GALICIA, with the support of an EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) located and disrupted two Pirate Action Groups comprising of 2 skiffs with 11 suspected pirates onboard.

On 2 November, SPS GALICIA was patrolling along the Kenyan coastline, when a merchant vessel reported it had been attacked twice. The attacks were unsuccessful for the Pirate Action Group and the vessel reported it was safe. However, the EU NAVFOR SPS GALICIA, positioned 75 nautical miles from the scene of attack was immediately tasked to relocate the skiffs involved in this attack.

The coordination between the EU NAVFOR French Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) and EU NAVFOR Spanish SPS GALICIA’s helicopter made it possible to relocate one skiff. The warship’s helicopter successfully intercepted this skiff with the ship’s boarding team.

One fuel drum, several jerry cans, ladders, and 7 people were found onboard the skiff. Quantities of weaponry and one orange tarpaulin were seen being thrown overboard by the helicopter team.

Early the following day, the helicopter of EU NAVFOR SPS GALICIA was able to sight two more suspicious skiffs, sailing with ladders, jerry cans and powerful overboard motors. One of the two skiffs was quickly intercepted by the SPS GALICIA’s boarding team. Further attempts to stop the second skiff by the SPS GALICIA’s helicopter continued, in vain.

In total, 11 suspected pirates and 2 skiffs were intercepted; one further skiff fled the scene. The absence of flagrante delicto did not make it possible to pursue prosecution. One skiff was confiscated and suspected pirates were sent back to Somalia in the second one. This disruption hampered pirate action and avoided highly probable attacks on merchant and vulnerable vessels.

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 African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and to protect vulnerable vessels 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.

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EU NAVFOR Flagship FS DE GRASSE disrupts a Pirate Action Group

In the early hours of 20 October, while conducting a patrol along the Somali coastline, the EU NAVFOR French Flagship FS DE GRASSE spotted and intercepted a pirate action group comprising of two skiffs and one whaler, thereby averting a future attack.

On spotting the suspect vessels, FS DE GRASSE immediately launched her helicopter to investigate. After several warning shots were fired, the suspected pirates stopped their skiffs and a boarding of the vessels was carried out by a team from the warship.

Shortly after the boarding, the helicopter saw and stopped the whaler, which is believed to have being used to provide logistic support to the pirate skiffs.

In total, twelve suspected pirates were on board the three intercepted vessels as well as large quantities of fuels and food, allowing extend time at sea. Quantities of weapons were seen to be thrown overboard as the boarding team approached.

The absence of flagrante delicto did not make it possible to pursue prosecution. The whaler was destroyed and suspected pirates were sent back to Somalia. This disruption has hampered pirate action and avoided highly probable attacks on merchant and vulnerable vessels.

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 African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), and to protect vulnerable vessels 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.

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All the suspected pirates are clear and the boarding team starts to investigate the whaler

Following hot on the heels of EU NAVFOR French ship Tonnerre’s success, who earlier today (1st May) tracked down and destroed a mother ship, EU NAVFOR FS La Fayette destroyed another Mother ship and held another 9 suspected pirates for questioning.

A helicopter from the La Fayette spotted a pirate action group (PAG), with one mother ship and one skiff, in the Indian Ocean, between Mogadishu and the Seychelles.

When detected, the suspected pirates tried to escape and threw paraphernalia over board. The helicopter fired warning shots and the mother ship finally stopped.

La Fayette then did an unopposed boarding and found evidence to show the intention of the suspects to commit piracy. Nine individuals were held for further investigation and the mother ship was destroyed. The skiff was taken onboard La Fayette, as evidence.

This is the second successful disruption on the same day which continues to show EU NAVFOR’s more offensive strategy is working. The joint action by EU NAVFOR’s French warships Tonnerre and La Fayette and Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the Seychelles was evidence of excellent teamwork and a determination to fight these criminal acts.

In another action today, a unit from Task force 508 (NATO) disrupted a PAG and held 5 suspects. EU NAVFOR works closely with other coalition forces in the area (including CMF) and sharing assets such as EU NAVFOR’s  Maritime Patrol Aircraft, makes for a potent and extremely effective combination in fighting piracy.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Programme (WFP) and vessels of  African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels 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.

EU NAVFOR Greek warship HS Adrias was tasked to intercept and neutralize the suspected pirate groups. On the morning of the 18th November the Adrias boarding team sighted two attack skiffs and one ‘motherskiff’. They intercepted and boarded the group containing 10 men and all pirate related paraphernalia, including excess skiffs, were seized.

Following this event, and with support of an EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft, Adrias continued the intercept of the other suspect group. Two skiffs and a mother ship were intercepted with a total of five suspected pirates. This group was also neutralized; this action continues towards disrupting piracy in this vast sea area where pirates had been known to operate and hijack ships before.

HS Adrias and the Maritime Patrol Aircraft take part in the EU NAVFOR mission Operation ATALANTA.
The main tasks of Operation ATALANTA are to escort merchant vessels carrying food of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP), the protection of vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy.