British Royal Navy Thwarts Pirate Attack
Source: Somalia Report
Seven Pirates Arrested Using 2 Speedboats, Mothership Escapes
Somali pirates in Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland told Somalia Report that the British Navy thwarted their attack and seized a number of their friends trying to hijack a Spanish vessel.
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| RFA Fort Victoria Boarding Team (Photo: Independent.co.uk) |
“The navy detained a number of our friends. Ten of our friends were using one mothership from Yemen and two speed boats. When the mothership spotted the Spanish vessel, the pirates began to use the two speed boats to hijack the vessel but the navy saved the vessel and detained seven of our friends. The mothership and three pirates escaped and arrived near Calula area in Bari region,” Mohamed Ahmed, a pirate in Bari region, told Somalia Report by phone.
“The mothership was so far from the where operation happened that we lost contact with them, but over the last two days we heard from them. They didn't know which country the Navy was from, but today we heard from BBC Somali – that navy was British and they detained seven of our pirate friends,” Mohamed Ahmed added.
Today the British Minister of Defense told the media the Royal Navy rescued the Spanish fishing vessel on 28 November in the Indian Ocean and seized 7 pirates with two boats.
More than 20 pirates are members of the group that attacked the Spanish fishing vessel, Alakrantxu, a Spanish-owned boat based in Victoria, Seychelles, which is headed by Habiib Mahdi (a well-known pirate commander in Bari region) from Ali Saleebaan Clan (sub-clan of Majeerteen). This group also hijacked an Iranian fishing boat this week.
Two More Pirate Groups Thwarted
Another group of pirates were back in Puntland's Bari region after international navies thwarted their hijacking attempts. The group, led by Murqaan a well known pirate commander from Gada Biirsay clan, are now in eastern Bari region after international navies foiled their attack according to pirates.
“Murqaan and his group met attack from international navies. One pirate man from Shiikhaal clan died and Murqan injured his hand and now they are in eastern Bari region,” said Mohamed Ahmed.
Yet another group of pirates arrived in Bargaal area this week after failing to hijack any foreign vessels after being at sea for 15 days.
“They came back because they were running out of fuel and food. If they get some investment they will go back to look for vessels,” he added.
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