BRUSSELS – Danish forces have secured a merchant ship that had been seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden.
The 25-man crew of the Antigua and Barbuda-flagged cargo ship MV Ariellais safe, Nato said yesterday. The Danish naval commandos are hunting the pirates, a Nato spokeswoman added.
The MV Ariellasent a warning early yesterday that it had been boarded by armed pirates. The warning was picked up by nearby Indian warship Tabar, which alerted forces in the area.
A French aircraft operating out of Djibouti as part the EU’s anti- piracy force sighted pirates on board, while Danish frigate HDMS Absalon sent a helicopter and steamed towards the merchant ship, said John Harbour, a spokesman for the EU fleet.
The Danes made radio contact with the crew and, after being assured they were safely hidden from the pirates, sent special forces to board and seize the ship.
"The Ariellahad registered its route and was in constant contact with the naval forces. The crew followed recommended procedures to lock themselves away safely," Mr Harbour said. The pirates have yet to be found.
While the Danish commandos were boarding the Ariella, sailors from the nearby Russian naval ship Neustrashimyydetained suspected pirates aboard a skiff, Mr Harbour said. "We suspect the two incidents are related, but we don't have confirmation."
About 20 warships are in the area combating a surge in attacks by pirates operating from Somali's lawless coast. The Absalon is part of a four-gunship anti-piracy Nato fleet called Ocean Shield. The EU's Atalanta mission has five ships and maritime patrol aircraft operating out of Djibouti and the Seychelles.
The US coalition in Afghanistan operates another anti-pirate fleet, while countries including India, Russia, China and Malaysia have sent warships to protect their merchant fleets.
Somali pirates mounted 217 attacks last year, hijacking 47 ships and taking 867 crew members hostage, the London-based International Maritime Bureau said last month. The EU estimates Somali pirates last year earned $60-$80 million (€44-€58.5 million) in ransoms. – (Bloomberg)