EU Maritime Forces Rescue Crew After Somalia Piracy Incident on Oil Tanker
European Union naval forces have safely freed two dozen crew members from a Maltese-flagged petroleum vessel that was attacked by sea robbers off the coast of Somali waters.
The vessel, which was carrying petrol from Indian ports to South African destinations, was taken over on Thursday when armed pirates began shooting with machine guns and explosive projectiles before boarding the ship.
The crew locked themselves inside a secure safe room while the attackers took control of the ship.
Mission Accomplished
A naval vessel, functioning under the European Union's maritime security operation, arrived at the tanker on the following day. Elite military units boarded the vessel and found all two dozen sailors safe and sound.
"The crew is secure and no injuries have been documented. During the incident, they stayed in the secure area in direct contact with the operation," officials stated, noting that a "show of force" had convinced the attackers to leave the ship before the naval unit reached the location.
Ongoing Threat
Officials emphasized that the threat risk in the area "remains critical" as the armed groups are still in the vicinity.
The rescue operation involved a aircraft, drone and surveillance aircraft. Just hours earlier, a different vessel in the identical region was approached by a fast boat but managed to evade it.
Resurgence of Piracy
This incident represents the most recent in a series of attacks that have created concern about a resurgence of maritime crime in the area.
Such activity had declined when global maritime security and security measures were implemented after peaking more than a decade ago.
Nevertheless, attacks by militant groups on vessels in the Red Sea, which have been carried out for the recent period, have caused ships to be diverted through the African coastline - opening up new opportunities for local pirate groups.
Incident Data
- Multiple piracy cases of piracy occurred off the shoreline of the Somali region last year
- Several vessel takeovers were documented among these incidents
- Only one incident of maritime crime was noted in the preceding year
Maritime security experts continue to monitor the situation as vessel operators travel through these potentially hazardous shipping lanes.
