EUNAVFOR Atalanta has taken control of an Iranian-flagged dhow used as a mother ship in the piracy incident involving the merchant tanker Hellas Aphrodite, EUNAVFOR said in a news release.
The dhow was abandoned by the alleged pirates on the northwestern coast of Somalia and later tracked by the operation’s flagship ESPS Victoria and an Indian Navy warship.
According to Atalanta, the Pirate Action Group active in the area has been “definitely disrupted.” The crew of the dhow has been located, medically examined, and confirmed to be in good condition. Evidence and intelligence collected from the dhow and the Hellas Aphrodite will be used to support the legal prosecution of those responsible. Atalanta continues to cooperate with the Federal Government of Somalia and the Puntland Federal Government to locate and apprehend the suspects.
The coordinated operation involved ESPS Victoria, its helicopter, UAV, and Special Operations Unit; the Atalanta Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Vigma D4; an Indian Navy warship; a Japanese P3C aircraft from the Combined Maritime Forces; the Seychellois Air Force; and Somali authorities.
Atalanta urged merchant and other vulnerable vessels to register in the Maritime Security Centre’s Voluntary Registration Scheme to improve monitoring and response to maritime threats in the Western Indian Ocean.
EUNAVFOR Atalanta is the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) operates under Operation Atalanta, the EU’s long-standing counter-piracy and maritime security mission launched in 2008. It is mandated to protect vessels in the Western Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden, particularly those associated with the World Food Programme and other vulnerable shipping.
