Attacks spread across the length of the region as monsoon season approaches; a new phrase "extended unit self defense" a game-changer; call for armed guards almost sanctioned; naval actions off Somalia free more hostages; international response to piracy, and West Africa changes tactics.
The monsoon season approaches in the region but pirates continue to make their presence felt across the length of the area of operations. Eleven attacks have been reported over the past 7 days. Fortunately, no hijacks have occurred. U.S. Navy helicopter fires on pirates under a rule of engagement 'game-changer' - "extended unit self defense." As two maritime security bodies come into being, the IMO holds a Maritime Safety Committee session which discusses, amongst other matters, the use of armed guards at sea. The Thai Navy, however, is to place armed detachments on its merchant vessels.
Naval action nearer to the Somali coast has seen a blockade on pirate-held vessels ability to deploy on mothership operations. A more aggressive stance by the forces in the region has resulted in pirates being challenged to a greater degree with vessels attacked, pirates killed and hostages freed, although clear details in some cases have been somewhat sparse. The 19th SHADE (Shared Awareness and Deconfliction) meeting took place in Bahrain, where the coordination discussions between 108 Representatives from the militaries of 28 countries, law enforcement agencies, shipping industry, and various governments, included a brief on the upcoming Best Management Practice version 4 (BMP4). Piracy, however, has been demonstrated to be a global problem as a Filipino sailor is found dead on his ship days after it had been hijacked of the West African coast.
Military Action
Working from the north to the south of the region, pirate attacks were carried out in the Gulf of Oman where MV Artemis Glory, was assisted by USS Bulkeley and its helo in evading capture. As a consequence of the action, 4 pirates were killed. The Arabian Sea attacks occurred north of Socotra Island and at the eastern 'fan' of the Gulf of Aden. Further attacks occurred in the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC), and latterly in the southern Red Sea. Moving out into the Indian Ocean, attacks were conducted in the central area and just over 100nm off the Somali coast. Down to the south off Tanzania, two attacks occurred within 50nm radius and only 4 hours in between attacks. A further attack in the south Indian Ocean was east of the northern tip of Madagascar, and south of the Seychelles, despite the deterioration of weather conditions due to the approaching south-westerly monsoon.
Somali pirates have been rather adept at changing their Rules Of Engagement (ROE) at the drop of a ransom payment. Now, it is the turn of the coalition forces to make an unexpected impact by adapting their ROE. Keenly, witnessed in the 'game-changing' principle of "extended unit self defense", the U.S. Navy was able to actually fight pirates during an attack on a merchant vessel Coalition Maritime Forces. Information Dissemination says give the matter a 'ponder' in their article "ROE, a change in piracy". The Royal Danish Navy was involved in a fire fight with pirates on a mothership. During the exchange 4 pirates were killed and 10 wounded. 16 Iranian crewmembers were rescued with no injuries to them or the Danish navy team. 28 pirates in all were on board the vessel. 24 pirates were ultimately detained - Danish forsvaret.dk. In the same week as the Esbern Snare incident, the USS Stephen W Groves was involved in an exchange with pirates holding the Taiwanese fishing vessel, Jih Chun Tsai 68. Following a gunfight, the warship's boarding team discovered the master had been killed and two of the crew wounded; 3 pirates had been killed and the surviving pirates were returned to Somalia.
Ransom and Release
The story surrounding the fishing vessel, FV Prantalay 12, rumbles on. Conflicting reports of its possible sinking by military action and having been stated as concluding release from pirate control for a number of days as the vessel is no longer seaworthy have not been fully explained to date. NATO maintains that the vessel remains in pirate hands.
Somali pirates and Spanish authorities claim a ransom of $5million has been dropped for the release of 2 Spanish seafarers still held following the interception of the Spanish fishing vessel, FV Vega 5, in the Arabian Sea by the Indian Navy in March when 13 crew were rescued although 9 were not on board at the time. The crewmen, Captain Alfonso Rey Echeverri and Jose Alfonso Garcia, were held on the Italian tanker, Savina Caylyn - Somalia Report.
Piracy Charges On Tuesday, May 17, it was reported that 8 men charged with the hijack of a yacht which resulted in the deaths of four ;