Pirate Action Group attacks have increased in the last few days in the Northern Arabian Sea. In all, 5 attacks have occurred in 48-hours in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. The attacks have taken place approximately 465nm between those farthest apart.

At 1222 UTC, a merchant vessel came under attack by a pirate action group (PAG) in position 1603N 06246E consisting of a mothership and one skiff. This attack attempt occurred approximately 502nm Southeast of Salalah, Oman. This attack is believed to have been on a Bahamian-flagged, Japanese-owned tanker, MV Guanabara, which was boarded by pirates as the 24 crew retreated to a safe room after placing a distress call. The following day, March 6, a US warship USS Bulkeley, under CTF 151 part of the Coalition Maritime Forces based in Bahrain, despatched a special commando unit onto the vessel. The unit was supported by the NATO counter-piracy TF 508, Turkish warship, TCG Giresun. No gunshots were fired as the commando unit secured the vessel and detained four suspected pirates. The US Navy report is available here.

A PAG, consisting of a mothership and 2 skiffs, was reported as attacking a Russian general cargo ship, MV Chariot, at 1347 UTC in position 1202N 06614E, approximately 765nm Southeast of Salalah in Oman, or approximately 450nm West-Northwest of Minicoy Island, India. The pirates placed a decoy white skiff beside the mothership, meanwhile another skiff with 6 pirates onboard had been launched which was camouflaged to hide it from view. It approached the vessel from the stern port quarter, however, the vessel had armed guards (Spetsnaz veterans) onboard who engaged the pirates. Shortly afterwards the pirates then disengaged and returned to the mothership, a previously pirated freighter. The MV Chariotl managed to evade the hijack attempt. All crew are reported to be safe.

Three attacks took place on March 4, with the latest one that evening at 2029 UTC, where a merchant vessel, in position 1734N 06037E, approximately 375nm East Northeast of Salalah, Oman, reported coming under attack by 2 skiffs. The OCEANUSLive report on the attacks is available here.

PAGs have been in operation in the areas for some time and, wherever possible, are reported here to ensure that seafarers may increase the situational awareness through information dissemination. The OCEANUSLive 'Horn of Africa Piracy Activity Update' can be seen here.

Sus	Atk	Hij
0	0	0