European Union Naval Forces Rescue Crew After Somali Piracy Incident on Vessel
EU naval forces have successfully rescued 24 sailors from a Malta-registered oil tanker that was attacked by sea robbers off the shoreline of Somalia.
The vessel, which was transporting petrol from India to South African destinations, was seized on Thursday when armed pirates opened fire with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades before taking control of the ship.
All sailors locked themselves inside a secure safe room while the attackers assumed command of the marine transport.
Mission Accomplished
A naval vessel, functioning under the EU's anti-piracy mission, arrived at the tanker on Friday afternoon. Elite military units boarded the vessel and discovered all 24 crew members unharmed.
"The crew is secure and no harm have been reported. Throughout the incident, they remained in the secure area in direct contact with the operation," officials announced, adding that a "demonstration of power" had prompted the attackers to abandon the ship before the naval unit reached the location.
Ongoing Threat
Authorities added that the danger level in the area "continues to be serious" as the armed groups are still in the vicinity.
The rescue operation utilized a helicopter, drone and reconnaissance plane. Just hours earlier, a different vessel in the same area was approached by a small speedboat but managed to evade it.
Resurgence of Piracy
This event marks the most recent in a series of incidents that have created concern about a resurgence of maritime crime in the area.
Such activity had declined when international naval patrols and protective protocols were introduced after peaking more than a ten years past.
Nevertheless, attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on ships in the Red Sea, which have been conducted for the past two years, have caused vessels to be diverted through East Africa's Indian Ocean - creating new opportunities for Somali gangs.
Incident Data
- Seven reported incidents of maritime crime took place off the shoreline of Somalia in the previous year
- Three hijackings were recorded among these events
- A single case of piracy was reported in the preceding year
Maritime security experts continue to monitor the developments as shipping companies travel through these increasingly dangerous waters.
