EU Naval Forces Rescue Crew Following Somali Piracy Incident on Vessel
EU naval forces have successfully rescued 24 sailors from a Maltese-flagged oil tanker that was attacked by sea robbers off the shoreline of Somalia.
The Hellas Aphrodite, which was carrying petrol from Indian ports to South Africa, was seized on Thursday when heavily armed attackers opened fire with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades before taking control of the vessel.
All sailors secured themselves inside a fortified citadel while the attackers assumed command of the ship.
Mission Accomplished
A naval vessel, operating under the EU's anti-piracy mission, arrived at the tanker on Friday afternoon. Special forces boarded the vessel and found all 24 crew members safe and sound.
"The crew is safe and no harm have been reported. During the incident, they stayed in the secure area in direct contact with command center," authorities stated, noting that a "show of force" had convinced the pirates to abandon the ship before the warship arrived.
Continuing Danger
Authorities added that the threat risk in the area "continues to be serious" as the pirates are still in the vicinity.
The mission involved a helicopter, unmanned aerial vehicle and surveillance aircraft. Just hours earlier, a different vessel in the same area was approached by a small speedboat but successfully avoided it.
Return of Maritime Crime
This event marks the latest in a spate of attacks that have created concern about a renewal of piracy in the region.
Such activity had declined when international naval patrols and security measures were implemented after peaking more than a ten years past.
However, attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on vessels in the Red Sea, which have been conducted for the recent period, have caused ships to be diverted through the African coastline - opening up new opportunities for Somali gangs.
Incident Data
- Multiple piracy cases of maritime crime occurred off the shoreline of the Somali region in the previous year
- Three hijackings were documented among these events
- Only one incident of piracy was noted in the preceding year
Industry professionals continue to monitor the situation as vessel operators travel through these increasingly dangerous shipping lanes.
