MV BELUGA NOMINATION

After 4 days of uncertainty regarding the exact status of the crew, MV BELUGA NOMINATION is now believed to be pirated.

On the afternoon of 22 January 2011, the MV BELUGA NOMINATION was attacked by a skiff, with an unknown number of suspected pirates on board.  Small arms were used against the vessel during the attack.

The attack took place in the Indian Ocean, 390 nautical miles north of the Seychelles.  The MV BELUGA NOMINATION is an Antiguan and Barbudan flagged, German owned, general cargo vessel which was on passage to Port Victoria in the Seychelles at the time of the attack.  There is no information on the condition of the mixed crew of 12 (Polish, Filipino, Russian and Ukrainian) at this time. EUNAVFOR are monitoring the situation.

MV BELUGA NOMINATION was registered with MSC(HOA) and had reported to UKMTO.

When the pirates boarded the vessel the crew went into a citadel which the pirates were eventually able to enter.  It should be stressed that the use of a citadel by crew members does not guarantee a military response.  Detailed guidance on the utilisation of citadels can be obtained from the Maritime Security Centre (Horn of Africa) MSC(HOA). 

The nearest EU NAVFOR warship at the time of the attack was over 1000 Nm away.  The warship was waiting to escort a World Food Programme (WFP) vessel delivering vital humanitarian aid to Somalia, which is EUNAVFOR’s primary task within its mandated mission.  The remainder of the EUNAVFORs warships was even further away carrying out tasks in the IRTC (Internationally Recognized Transit Corridor), which is their secondary task within the mandated mission.

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.

MV ORNA

At midday on 20 December, the MV ORNA was pirated in the Indian Ocean, approximately 400 nautical miles North East of the Seychelles.

The attack was launched from 2 attack skiffs, with pirates firing small arms and rocket propelled grenades at the merchant vessel. The vessel was stopped and boarded by at least 4 pirates. The crew is co-operating and no damage is reported.

The MV ORNA is a Panama flagged, UAE owned bulk cargo vessel with a dead weight of 27 915 tonnes. The number of crew onboard is unknown; MV ORNA was not registered with MSCHOA or UKMTO.

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). EU NAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy. EU NAVFOR finally monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

MV HANNIBAL II

 In the early morning of 17 December, the Combined Maritime Force (CMF) joined forces with EUNAVFOR to evacuate a crew member from the MV Hannibal II after reports were received that he had a possible appendicitis. 

The MV HANNIBAL II has been pirated on 11 November and is currently at anchor off Garacad on the North East Coast of Somalia.

The Tunisian master of the ship contacted the authorities on 16 December stating that he had a crew member with severe stomach pains on board and requested assistance.  He also stated that he had reached an agreement with the pirates allowing the sick man to be picked up and transferred to a navy ship for treatment if a transfer could be arranged.

The CMF Thai warship TNS PATTANI responded to the call together with the EUNAVFOR German warship FGS HAMBURG.  The sick crewmember was transferred by Rigid Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB) from the pirated vessel to the TNS PATTANI before being moved to the FGS HAMBURG, which had more suitable medical facilities, by helicopter.  

The patient was treated by the German medical staff on board.

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). EU NAVFOR also protects vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, deters and disrupts piracy. EU NAVFOR finally monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.