Despite the month of August in the Indian Ocean being characterised by the rough seas of the monsoon, which deters the small skiffs traditionally used by pirates, the EU Naval Force has had another proactive and sucessful month.
Working in cooperation with NATO Operation Ocean
Shield EUNAVFOR forces boarded and freed two dhows being used as motherships, leading to the arrest of 6 suspected pirates and marking the third consecutive month with no sucessful piratings.
Aside from direct intervention EUNAVFOR has also welcomed the conviction of 7 Somali pirates in Kenyan courts and the visit of members of the Somali diaspora to the Operation Headquarters in London, England. EU high representative for foreign affairs Catherine Ashton also made visits to the Operation HQ, Kenya and Somalia to promote the EU’s comprehensive approach to sovle the causes of piracy on land.
Lastly the EUNAVFOR flagship has changed from French ship MARNE to Italian ship SAN GIUSTO and the Italian Force Commander Admiral Credendino has lost little time in ensuring all counter piracy forces in the region are working closely to continue the positive trend seen in the preceding months. Meetings at sea have been carried out with NATO Operation Ocean Shield, Combined Maritime Task Force 151, Japanese Escort force CCD5 and the Chinese national counter piracy force.
Two Pirated Dhows Freed in the Last Three Days
Counter piracy forces from the EU Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) Operation Atalanta and NATO disrupted two pirated dhows and freed the crew taken hostage in the Gulf of Aden.
EU High Representative Visits French EU Naval Force Warship FS La Fayette Whilst in Kenya and Somalia
On 26 August, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Commission Vice President, Catherine Ashton visited the French EU Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta (EU NAVFOR) warship La Fayette during her visit to Kenya and Somalia.
EU Naval Force Meets Somali Community Representative
On the 7 Aug 12 a number of influential Somali community representatives were invited to speak with the European Union Naval Force Somalia Operation Atalanta (EU NAVFOR) at Northwood Headquarters, UK.
EU Naval Force Welcomes Prosecution of 7 Somali Pirates Convicted of Attacking French Fishing Vessel
On Tuesday 7 August 2012 seven Somali men were found guilty by a Kenyan court of attempting to commit an act of piracy against a French fishing vessel, MV Captain St Vincent, off the Somali Coast in October 2009. Following the terrifying attack, the pirates, operating in 2 attack skiffs, were located by an EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) warship that was conducting counter-piracy patrols nearby.
Team from HNLMS Rotterdam board a suspected pirate mothership tracked down by EU forces
EU NAVFOR ATALANTA
EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Somalia – Operation Atalanta is part of the EU’s comprehensive approach to tackle symptoms and root causes of piracy off the coast of Somalia and the EU Strategic Framework for the Horn of Africa adopted in November 2011.
EU NAVFOR conducts anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and the Indian Ocean and is responsible for the protection of World Food Programme (WFP) shipping carrying humanitarian aid to the people of Somalia and Horn of Africa as well as the logistic shippings supporting the African Union troops conducting Peace Support Operations in Somalia (AMISOM). Additionally, Operation Atalanta contributes to the monitoring of fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.
For more information, please visit our website www.eunavfor.eu.
For official comments on the above please contact
European Union Naval Force Somalia – Operation ATALANTA
Duty Public Information Office
E-Mail: media@eunavfor.eu
Media and Public Information Office
European Union Operation HQ
Northwood Headquarters
Sandy Lane-Northwood
Middlesex-HA6 3HP
