EU NAVFOR Neutralizes Indian Ocean Pirates

On November 25, 2009 EU NAVFOR Greek warship HS Adrias neutralized a suspected Pirate Attack Group approximately 260 nautical miles North-East of Seychelles. MV Eclipse, a France flagged Ro-Ro Cargo Ship was approached the day before by a suspected skiff. An embarked Vessel Protection Detachment fired warning shots to hold off a possible attack. An EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft stationed at the Seychelles was tasked to investigate this approach. The Maritime Patrol Aircraft detected in the position of the earlier approach a suspected motherskiff with an attack skiff in tow.

Greek EU NAVFOR warship HS Adrias, tasked to search and neutralise these suspected pirates, intercepted the suspected pirate attack group with help from another Maritime Patrol Aircraft. Adrias boarding team secured the two skiffs with in total nine persons on board. All remaining piracy related paraphernalia, including the excess skiff, was seized.

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.