Republic Of Seychelles News

Six Somali nationals have been charged in the Republic of Seychelles for attempting and committing acts of piracy in the Indian Ocean, the Seychellois Attorney General announced on December 18. The suspected pirates were apprehended in November by EU antipiracy forces following alleged attacks on containership MV Ever Dynamic and fishing vessel Galerna III in the Southern Somali Basin, an area known for piracy. The six now face legal prosecution before the court and could each receive up to 30 years in a Seychelles detention facility if convicted.

Maritime forces from Eastern Africa, Western Indian Ocean island nations, Europe and the United States, as well as several international organizations began the fifth iteration of the multinational maritime exercise Cutlass Express, Jan. 30. Cutlass Express 2016, sponsored by U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), is designed to improve regional cooperation, maritime domain awareness (MDA) and information sharing practices to increase capabilities of participating nations to counter sea-based illicit activity. PORT VICTORIA, Seychelles (NNS) -- Maritime forces from Eastern Africa, Western Indian Ocean island nations, Europe and the United States, as well as several international organizations began the fifth iteration of the multinational maritime exercise Cutlass Express, Jan. 30.

Japan and the European Union are strengthening antipiracy cooperation in the Gulf of Aden off Somalia, helping an international mission to reduce the number of attacks by pirates on commercial vessels to just two in 2014 from 174 in 2011, Japan’s Jiji Press news agency reported. The first operation took place in January 2014 when EU naval forces and Japan’s Maritime Self-Defence Force (MSDF) troops teamed up to capture a pirate ship. MSDF destroyer Samidare initially received information about a commercial ship coming under attack in the Gulf of Aden. It then sent a P-3C patrol aircraft to monitor the situation while an EU naval vessel from France was dispatched to the site to arrest five pirates.

Suspect Pirates Apprehended by EU Naval Force Flagship Transferred To The Seychelles. On 29 January 2014, international collaboration in the fight against piracy resulted in the transfer of five men by the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia Operation Atalanta flagship, FS Siroco, to the Republic of Seychelles, with the aim of prosecuting them for acts of piracy. On Saturday 18 January, FS Siroco, in cooperation with Japanese assets in support of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF/CTF 151)…

HMAS Newcastle has handed over security operations for Operation SLIPPER in support of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) in the Middle East to HMAS Melbourne. Newcastle has provided maritime security around the Horn of Africa, conducted counter-piracy and anti-smuggling operations in the Gulf of Aden and executed counter-terrorism activities since May 28, 2013. The Guided Missile Frigate handed over to sister ship HMAS Melbourne on September 24, 2013. HMAS Newcastle's Commanding Officer…

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.