Pirates Attack EU NAVFOR Flagship
At first light on 12 January 2012, having just completed the escort of a World Food Programme ship carrying food-aid into Somalia and while operating close to the Somali port of Mogadishu, the EU NAVFOR Flagship, the ESPS Patino, was approached by one skiff with a group of suspected pirates onboard.
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| Suspected pirates surrender |
The suspected pirates opened fire with light calibre weapons and tried to board the Patino. The ship’s force-protection team returned fire in self-defense and the ship’s helicopter was launched, reports EU NAVFOR.
The skiff broke off the attack and the men surrendered to the helicopter after throwing their weapons, ladder and fuel barrels overboard.
Five of the six men who were in the skiff had received injuries, two of which required medical treatment onboard the SPS Patino.
Investigations are ongoing to check whether the suspect pirates’ report that a seventh man who had been in the skiff and who was lost overboard during the attack are correct.
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| Suspected Pirates transferred to RHIB |
Reuters expalined that, "The suspected pirates opened fire with light calibre weapons and tried to board the Patino. The ship's force-protection team returned fire in self-defence and the ship's helicopter was launched."
AP says a Spanish Defense Ministry official says the assailants may have mistaken the 165-meter (540-foot) ship Patino for a freighter in the attack before dawn Thursday, January 12. "The skiff broke off the attack and the men surrendered to the helicopter after throwing their weapons, ladder and fuel barrels overboard."
In a later update by EU NAVFOR, it was stated that the political decision has been made to hand-over the evidence pack for consideration by the courts for prosecution in Spain. The suspected pirates have all been given medical treatment for injuries sustained during their attack and two of the suspected pirates will require additional medical treatment once they have been landed. They are all currently stable and in no medical danger onboard the SPS Patino.
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| Spains EU Flagship Patino |
EU NAVFOR also clarified that the group of suspect pirates made their attack while the Flagship was in the vicinity of Mogadishu following the escort of a World Food Programme ship carrying food-aid into Somalia. They attempted to climb onboard having fired light-calibre weapons into the superstructure to try to make the ship stop however the detachment of Spanish Marines, embarked for Force Protection Duties, returned fire in self-defence, forcing the suspected pirates to break-off their attack. The ship’s Seaking helicopter was subsequently launched to track the skiff and the occupants surrendered.
A search was initiatied for a seventh man who was alleged by the suspected pirates to have been lost overboard from the skiff during their attack however, no evidence has been found to confirm this claim.
The Patino, as the flagship, is part of the European Union flotilla fighting piracy in the Indian Ocean.
UPDATE 16 January 2012:
It has been confirmed that the Spanish judicial authorities will prosecute the six Somali suspected pirates, who attacked the EU NAVFOR Flagship, the SPS Patino on 12 January. Following receipt of the evidence package, the Spanish Audiencia Naciona has confirmed it will undertake judicial proceedings. The suspected pirates will be transferred from the Flagship ashore for onward movement to Spain.
The suspects attacked the SPS Patino in the vicinity of Mogadishu following the successful escort of a World Food Programme ship carrying humanitarian-aid into Somalia and attempted to climb onboard having fired light-calibre weapons into the superstructure. The embarked detachment of Spanish Marines returned fire in self-defence and the ship’s Seaking helicopter was launched to track the skiff and the occupants surrendered.
All images courtesy of EU NAVFOR.
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