Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, a multi-national naval partnership engaged with countering the threat of piracy in the Indian Ocean successfully apprehended a group of Somali pirates this weekend following recent attacks on two vessels in the Indian Ocean.
Embarked on RFA Fort Victoria, the CTF 151 staff coordinated the maritime interdiction supported by HMAS Melbourne and ROKS Wang Geon, European Union flagship HMLMS Johan de Witt, and a Seychelles-based maritime patrol aircraft from Luxembourg.
CTF 151 notes that their task force had been searching for the pirates since they attacked and exchanged gunfire with the supertanker Island Splendor on Friday. Three days later a Spanish fishing vessel was also attacked by what was suspected to be the same pirate group.
The pirate skiffs were soon located approximately 500 nautical miles from the Somali coast. Nine suspected pirates were apprehended by a boarding team from the HMAS Melbourne and their craft was destroyed by the Melbourne’s Seahawk helicopter.
“Piracy no longer pays,” commented CTF 151 Commander, Commodore Jeremy Blunden, Royal Navy.
CTF 151 is under the umbrella of the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF), an international partnership of 29 member nations including Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, The Philippines, Portugal, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, United Kingdom and the United States.
Join the gCaptain Club for curated content, insider opinions, and vibrant community discussions.
Join the 110,150 members that receive our newsletter.
Have a news tip? Let us know.
Two Somali pirates have been brought to justice in the United States for their roles in a harrowing 977-day hostage-taking of an American journalist. In a landmark judgment, Somali nationals...
A Russian Navy frigate equipped with new generation hypersonic cruise missiles has conducted drills in the English Channel and is carrying out tasks in the Atlantic Ocean, Russian news agencies reported on Tuesday.
(Bloomberg) — Chinese lawmakers got a head start on the US election this week as they gathered to vote on the largest fiscal package since the pandemic. But now that...
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
Sign Up
Maritime and offshore news trusted by our 110,150 members delivered daily straight to your inbox.
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
