European Union Naval Forces Free Sailors Following Somalia Piracy Incident on Oil Tanker
European Union maritime units have safely freed 24 sailors from a Malta-registered petroleum vessel that was attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia.
The vessel, which was carrying petrol from India to South African destinations, was taken over on the recent incident when armed pirates opened fire with machine guns and explosive projectiles before taking control of the ship.
All sailors locked themselves inside a secure safe room while the attackers assumed command of the ship.
Mission Accomplished
A naval vessel, operating under the EU's anti-piracy mission, reached the tanker on Friday afternoon. Elite military units boarded the vessel and discovered all 24 crew members unharmed.
"All personnel is secure and no harm have been reported. During the incident, they stayed in the citadel in constant communication with command center," officials stated, adding that a "demonstration of power" had prompted the attackers to leave the ship before the warship reached the location.
Continuing Danger
Officials added that the threat risk in the region "continues to be serious" as the armed groups are continue to be in the area.
The mission involved a helicopter, drone and surveillance aircraft. Shortly before, a different vessel in the same area was targeted by a fast boat but successfully avoided it.
Resurgence of Piracy
This incident marks the latest in a series of attacks that have created concern about a resurgence of piracy in the area.
Such activity had declined when global maritime security and protective protocols were introduced after reaching their highest point more than a ten years past.
However, assaults by militant groups on vessels in the Arabian Sea, which have been conducted for the past two years, have caused ships to be rerouted through East Africa's Indian Ocean - creating new possibilities for Somali gangs.
Incident Data
- Multiple piracy cases of piracy occurred off the shoreline of Somalia in the previous year
- Several vessel takeovers were recorded among these incidents
- A single case of maritime crime was reported in the preceding year
Maritime security experts are closely watching the developments as vessel operators navigate these potentially hazardous shipping lanes.
