Somali Pirate Craft Sunk by EU NAVFOR Warship
Warships hunt down pirate skiff off the coast of Somalia, take 9 suspected pirates into custody and sink their boat. Romanian frigate ROS Regele Ferdinand, under command of the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) worked in close co-operation with Turkish warship TCG Gemlik of Combined Task Force 151 (CTF-151) to apprehended nine suspected pirates at sea off the coast of Somalia. In the early hours of the morning, Swedish EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft located the suspicious skiff at sea 420 nautical miles east of Mogadishu.
Leisure Craft Warned to Keep Clear of Piracy Hotspots
European Union Naval Force Commander reminds yacht & leisure craft owners piracy still a danger in Gulf of Aden & Indian Ocean. Rear Admiral Potts who is the operation commander of the European Union’s counter piracy mission (EU NAVFOR) off the coast of Somalia reminds the yachting and leisure craft community that whilst pirate attacks have reduced off the Horn of Africa over the past year, the threat of piracy remains and owners should continue to avoid transiting the High Risk Area – the southern Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and the Western part of the Indian Ocean.
First Pirate Venture After Monsoon Comes to Watery End
EU Naval Force flagship, 'ITS San Giusto' stopped and later sank a pirate skiff in the Somali Basin after taking off 7 suspect pirates. The EU warship, carrying out counter-piracy patrols as part of Operation Atalanta, sighted the skiff carrying a ladder and up to 20 fuel drums 180 miles east of Socotra and immediately launched its helicopter to investigate. Once at the scene, the boarding team from San Giusto boarded the vessel and apprehended the men. After gathering intelligence, the skiff was destroyed, thus preventing the suspect pirates from using it to attack ships in the future.
EU NAVFOR Piracy Update
EU NAVFOR hosted a press conference on 20 February 2012 to present an update on Operation ATALANTA, piracy off the Horn of Africa and a view towards future developments. The briefing was hosted by Operation Commander Rear Admiral Duncan L. Potts with Deputy Operation Commander Rear Admiral Rainer Endres and the NATO Deputy Chief of Staff Operations, Commodore Bruce Belliveau. Countering piracy in the Indian Ocean is an international concern having become a sophisticated criminal business exploiting the geographic feature of the Gulf of Aden and the Arabic Sea.
New EU NAVFOR Deputy Operation Commander
Rear Admiral Christian Canova (French Navy) hands over the responsibility of Deputy Operation Commander of the European Union Naval Force Somalia, Operation ATALANTA to Rear Admiral Rainer Endres (German Navy) on 12 January 2012 at the Operational Headquarters (OHQ) in Northwood, near London. Rear Admiral Canova added this duty to an impressive career including three commands at sea and three operational duties in the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf. His comprehensive knowledge of NATO and EU policy was beneficial to the overall mission.
