In the last 24 hours in the pirate-rich environment of the Horn of Africa, Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean, 3 attacks and suspicious activity has been carried out. Today, March 3, at 0840 UTC, a general cargo ship, Singapore-flagged, Danish-owned Brattingsborg, was attacked by 2 pirate skiffs with 4 pirates onboard each skiff in position 1523N 05204E in the Gulf of Aden, approximately 152nm Southwest of Salalah, Oman. The pirates approached the slow-moving ship with a low waterline clearance, firing automatic weapons, however, a security team embarked on the MV returned fire, which saw the pirates abort the attempt boarding. The vessel and Thai crew are reported to be safe and continuing their passage to India (IMB PRC report).

The second incidence at 1122UTC, occurred in position 0959N 06226E in the Indian Ocean, approximately 500nm East of Socotra Island. 2 pirate skiffs approached a tanker firing rocket propelled grenades (RPG) and small arms. The vessel employed anti-piracy measures and successfully evaded the hijack attempt (IMB PRC Report). 

The attack was approximately 160nm from another attack that occurred on March 2 at 0750 UTC, where a motor sailboat, the Capricorn, was boarded by 6 armed pirates in position 1211N 06358E in the Indian Ocean, approximately 550nm East of Socotra Island off Somalia. The pirates had managed to boarded the Capricorn, with the crew/owners of the sailboat, a couple from the Netherlands. However, another escort vessel with an embarked armed security team engaged in a fire fight with the pirates and were able to regain the sailboat with no injuries sustained by the team or the Capricorn crew. The suspicious activity occurred off the Oman coast where a tanker was chased by a pirate action group. Carrying out evasive manoeuvres, increasing speed and sending an alert message saw the pirate mothership and skiff abort their approach. See the OCEANUSLive report.

Vessels are reminded that the coalition forces' warships may not be in the vicinity of a pirate attack, subsequently, it is emphasised that seafarers can greatly reduce their chances of being pirated if they follow precautions as recommended in the Best Management Practices, increasing speed and carrying out evasive manoeuvres is a proven deterrent to piracy attacks.

Vessels are advised to exercise extreme caution when navigating in the vicinity of the reported position of the attacks and maintain maximum CPA with any ship acting suspiciously. Additionally, registration of vessel movement with MSC(HOA)prior to transiting the region is recommended.



Any suspicious activity should be reported to UKMTO in Dubai in the first instance (UKMTO@eim.ae or Telephone+971 50 552 3215) and on entering the UKMTO Voluntary Reporting Area (VRA) bound by Suez,78E and 10S.

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