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Pirate Action Group News

30 Oct 2018

Pirate Whaler Seized and Destroyed

Photo: EU NAVFOR

EU NAVFOR military personnel seized an active Pirate Action Group (PAG) whaler and destroyed it on Sunday, October 28, 2018This followed a sustained period of surveillance after a piracy attack was conducted against the Hong Kong-flagged Bulk Carrier KSL Sydney on October 16, 340 Nm off the coast of Somalia.Rear Admiral Alfonso Perez de Nanclares, the EU NAVFOR Force Commander, ordered counter-piracy forces to the area for further investigation. EU NAVFOR Spanish Maritime Patrol…

05 Dec 2013

Armed Guards Allowed aboard French, Japanese Ships

Gerry Northwood (left) and Nick Davis

In response to the ongoing threat of piracy in shipping, France and Japan are allowing armed guards on their ships, said U.K. maritime security company GoAGT. Gerry Northwood OBE, Chief Operating Officer for the company, said, “Countries that have not adopted these procedures yet should do so if the world’s shipping routes are to remain safe. The introduction of a change in law regarding armed guards on Japanese registered oil tankers must be seen as a reminder that piracy in…

19 Nov 2013

NATO Counter-piracy Frigate Boards Pirate Skiff

Photo: NATO

NATO’s counter-piracy Operation Ocean Sheild warship UPS Hetman Sagaidachny of Ukraine boarded a skiff with seven suspected pirates aboard in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). As the Ukrainian boarding team approached, the skiff tried to escape and suspected pirates were observed throwing weapons overboard, including AK-47 assault rifles. The skiff had 16 barrels of fuel and multiple outboard engines characteristic of a pirate action group. The suspected pirates surrendered without resistance.

09 Apr 2012

Piracy – Another Pirate Attack Group Snaffled

Pirate Craft Hoisted on Board: Photo credit EUNAVFOR

The French Navy frigate Acconit was heading towards a position in the north of the Horn of Africa to join with Spanish frigate Infanta Elena, to take over the escort of a World Food Programme ship, then FS Aconit spotted a whaler towing a skiff. The long way off-shore location, nearly 600 km, and the absence of fishing activity raised the suspicion of Aconit's command and the order was given to intercept the whaler. After the boarding team had been deployed, due to the short distance between the French frigate and the whaler…

03 Apr 2012

EU NAFVOR Disrupts Pirate Action Group

EU NAFVOR warship FGS BERLIN has successfully engineered the release of an Indian flagged dhow and crew, disrupting a pirate action group and destroying two attack skiffs. EUNAVFOR Warship FGS BERLIN received a distress call from a merchant vessel, reporting that they had successfully repelled a pirate attack in the Gulf of Aden. The BERLIN dispatched one of its helicopters to the position and quickly located a skiff and an Indian-flagged and crewed dhow. The crew of the helicopter established that the dhow had been pirated and the crew of 25 Indian nationals were held hostage.

29 Mar 2012

Piracy – Pirates Scuttle Own Boat, Sent Home 400 Miles Empty Handed

Pirates, Boarding Team: Photo credit EUNAVFOR

EU Counter Piracy Naval Forces (EUNAVFOR) have tracked down and stopped a group of suspected pirates who were believed to have tried to attack a Hong-Kong flagged tanker approximately 400 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia. EU Naval Force warship FS Aconit was called to investigate after the tanker came under attack on 26 March 2012. Aconit was directed onto the fleeing pirates by a Luxembourgish Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA). The MPRA quickly located…

06 Oct 2011

NATO Chief Warns of Increasing Pirate Activity

Pirate attack skiffs (courtesy: NATO)

In the last few days the number of pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia has increased highlighting the fact that now the monsoon is weakening, the pirates are once again ready to attack merchant ships transiting through the Indian Ocean. MC Northwood's Chief of Staff, Rear Admiral Hank Ort (NLD N) states, "in the last few years, it has been the case that come October when the South West monsoon weakens, the pirates have been able to put to sea and we have seen the number of attacks on merchant vessels increase.

14 Jun 2011

EU NAVFOR Warship Sinks Pirate Skiffs

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

On the morning of 10 June, the EU NAVFOR German warship FGS Niedersachsen detected a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) whilst conducting a routine patrol in the Southern Somali Basin. The PAG, which is suspected of carrying out a number of attacks on merchant vessels in the area, consisted of a fishing dhow and 2 attack skiffs. Small arms and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG)s were also seen on board. As the Dhow was considered to be a real threat to shipping in the area, the…

14 May 2011

French Warship Disrupts Pirate Attack Group

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

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 Nivôse into position.

11 Apr 2011

PVI to Assist EUNAVFOR in Prosecution of Suspected Pirates

On the 5th April, A PVI security team prevented an attack on the ‘Pacific Opal’. During the exchange PVI recorded video evidence of the incident and 24 hours after the Pirate Action Group (PAG) left the area, a PAG matching the same description was intercepted and arrested of suspected piracy by the Finnish warship Pohjanmaa, part of the EUNAVFOR. On the 7th April, the Pacific Opal received a direct request for assistance from MSCHOA ‘to establish whether there is sufficient evidence to link the pirates captured by the Finnish warship Pohjanmaa on 6th April to the attack to the Pacific Opal on the 5 April 2011.’ PVI plans to submit statements, hand over the video evidence and, given appropriate anonymity, be prepared to appear in court to testify in any subsequent court case.

06 Apr 2011

EU NAVFOR Disrupts Another Suspected Pirate Action Group

Photo courtesy EUNAVFOR

During the early morning of April 6, the EU NAVFOR Finnish warship FNS PohjanMAA identified a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) consisting of a dhow and two attack skiffs approximately 250 NM South East of Salalah, Oman. The PAG is believed to have been responsible for an unsuccessful attack on a merchant vessel in the area the day before. When Pohjanmaa approached the PAG, the dhow tried to flee the scene and the suspected pirates were observed throwing equipment overboard. The Pohjanmaa was forced to fire warning shots to stop the dhow.

04 Apr 2011

EU NAVFOR Warship Disrupts Suspected Pirate Whaler

Photo courtesy EUNAVFOR

On the afternoon of 3 April 2011, the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship ESPS Infanta Elena, identified and boarded a suspected pirate whaler 89 Nautical miles South-East of Mombasa. The warship had received a short notice tasking to locate a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) that had attacked a merchant vessel earlier the same day. On arriving in the area, the Infanta Elena found a whaler-type boat, which together with two attack skiffs, was suspected of being responsible for the earlier attack.

30 Mar 2011

Spanish Warship Disrupts Suspected Pirates

Photo courtesy EUNAVFOR

On 28 March 2011, the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship SPS Canarias disrupted a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG), consisting of a whaler-style boat and a skiff, 260 Nautical Miles North-West of the Seychelles after a fishing vessel reported the PAGs presence to the warship. Early morning on 28 March, the Seychellois flagged fishing vessel reported that a whaler and a skiff had approached her in a suspicious manner with automatic weapons and a Rocket Propelled Grenade(RPG) clearly visible.

07 Mar 2011

EU NAVFOR Disrupts Suspected Pirate Group

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

On March 5, 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 March 4, 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.

29 Nov 2010

MV Medi Chennai Dodges Pirates

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

In the early hours of 26 November, the MV Medi Chennai was attacked approximately 880 nautical miles (1,600 kilometres) East of Port Victoria, Seychelles. This is the furthest east attack ever registered by EU NAVFOR since the beginning of its Operation in December 2008, the last eastern most attack being 60 nautical miles west from this one. The MV Medi Chennai reported it was under attack and being fired upon with small arms and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG). The Captain of…

24 Nov 2010

EU NAVFOR, Seychelles Coast Guard Apprehend 16 Pirates

The Seychelles Coast Guard apprehended a total of 16 suspected pirates the last several days after being cued each time by two EU NAVFOR aircraft. On 18 November, the Seychelles Coast Guard successfully intercepted one whaler and one skiff, with five suspected pirates onboard. This first operation took place after the EU NAVFOR French E-3F SDCA aircraft was launched to search for a Pirate Action Group (PAG) that was suspected of carrying out two unsuccessful attacks on fishing vessels the previous day. When it arrived in the area, the aircraft spotted three suspicious radar contacts, which were then investigated by the EU NAVFOR Luxembourg Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA).

19 Nov 2010

MV Northern Valour Outpaces Pirates

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

On 18 November, in the early evening, a pirate action group failed in its attempt to pirate the MV Northern Valour in the Somali Basin, thanks to use of best management practices. The MV Northern Valour reported it was under attack by pirates and been fired upon with machine guns and an RPG, approximately 400 nautical miles (750 kilometres) South East from Mogadishu (Somalia). As the two skiffs approached to within 200 metres, the vessel’s master increased speed to 21 knots, mustered all non essential personnel in a safe room and activated self-protection measures.

09 Nov 2010

EU NAVFOR HNLMS Amsterdam Disrupts Pirates

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

On 6 November 2010, the EU NAVFOR Dutch ship HNLMS Amsterdam successfully located and disrupted one Pirate Action Group (PAG) comprised of two skiffs with nine suspected pirates onboard. On 5 November, two suspicious skiffs were detected, during a patrol flight by the warship’s helicopter. A number of people were observed onboard the skiffs, along with a large quantity of fuel and several ladders. The suspected pirates were urged to stop, first by VHF radio contact, and later, by the firing of warning shots from the helicopter.

21 Oct 2010

EU NAVFOR Flagship FS De Grasse Disrupts Pirates

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

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.

27 Sep 2010

Spanish Warship Disrupts Pirate Off Somali Coasts

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

On September 22, EU NAVFOR Spanish ship GALICIA  disrupted a pirate action group, comprised of one whaler and two skiffs. Galicia was patrolling off the east coast of Somalia and thanks to detailed information gathering, the Spanish ship was able to intercept two skiffs and the whaler. The group was located at night only 500 meters from the Somali coast by one of Galicia’s helicopters, which started the preparation for the interception. This one was completed without any opposition from the 11 suspected pirates.

01 Jun 2010

Pirates Disrupted by EU NAVFOR, Seychelles

On Saturday evening, 29 of May, the Seychelles Coast Guard disrupted a Pirate Action Group, including a mother ship with nine suspected pirates on board and two fast attack skiffs, after being led to the target by an EU NAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft from the Swedish Coast Guard. On last Thursday, 27 May, an EU NAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft from the Swedish Coast Guard spotted a suspected Pirate Action Group (PAG) about 500 nautical miles east of the Somali coast. The PAG consisted of one whaler and two skiffs. At that time, no units were close enough to verify and control the vessels. On Saturday morning, the PAG was relocated some 250 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles.

10 May 2010

Warship Johan de Witt Disrupts Pirates

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

The morning May 7, the EU NAVFOR Swedish Maritime Patrol Aircraft detected another Pirate Action Group (PAG), in the middle of Somali Basin. EU NAVFOR Netherlands warship Johan de Witt, only 30 Nautical Miles from the position, was sent to intercept the suspected pirates by the Force Commander Jan Thörnqvist onboard the Flag ship HSwMS Carlskrona. In mid-afternoon, HNLMS Johan de Witt found the PAG, consisting of one Whaler and two skiffs with a total of 11suspected pirates. During the approach, the suspected pirates were appeared to be trowing their weapons overboard.

05 May 2010

EU NAVFOR Anti-Piracy Activities

Photo courtesy EU NAVFOR

Following hot on the heels of EU NAVFOR French ship Tonnerre’s success, who earlier on May 1, tracked down and destroyed a mother ship, EU NAVFOR FS La Fayette destroyed another mother ship and held another nine 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.