"The five suspects aboard the Louise-Marie pending a possible lawsuit and are being treated for symptoms of dehydration, exhaustion and malnutrition they present. One of the suspects is also operated by the surgeon ship for an abscess on the wrist," said Defence in a statement.
The frigate, which began patrol on 23 November in Operation Atalanta (or EUNAVFOR), intercepted at 15:00 (local) one skiff with five suspected pirates on board off the coast of Somalia.
"The skiff is very likely part of the group of pirates who tried to attack the merchant ship 'MV Papua' end of November," the statement added.
The boarding team of the Louise-Marie was deployed to arrest five suspected pirates. The skiff was taken on board the frigate. The skiff was equipped with a ladder and grappling hook, but no weapon were found, says Defence.
The "MV Papua" was reported on November 28, 500 nautical miles from the Somali coast to have been approached by two skiffs equipped with weapons, grappling hooks and ladders. The skiffs probably benefited from the logistical support of a "mother ship" in the area. The private security team who was on board was able to prevent the attack. Since that incident, one of the skiffs was regularly be located by an EUNAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft.
On December 12, when she left the port of Mombasa, Kenya after a stop, the Louise-Marie was tasked to search and investigate this group of pirates, according to the Defence.
While the frigate went to the probable area of operation of the group, a Swedish maritime patrol aircraft relocated once again suspect skiff on December 15 at noon. The helicopter Amouette III of Louise-Marie was deployed, closely followed by the frigate and the boarding team.
Upon arrival, Louise-Marie gave "verbal warnings" to the skiff and the crew quickly raised their arms in the air. The boarding team arrested five suspected pirates, said Defence.
According to the commander of the frigate, Commander Hans Huygens, "this action clearly shows that ATALANTA units are required off the Horn of Africa to deter piracy, but also as a 'force for good '."
This is the third part of the rotation to Atalanta, the first naval operation ever launched by the European Union.
On 29 November 2011, during his second mission in the Indian Ocean, Louise-Marie (colloquially called "Loma" by sailors) had intercepted seven suspected pirates in Kenyan territorial waters, of which six were released after 19 days detention on board. The seventh Abdiwahad Mohammed Omar, - alias pirate "001 "- suspected of being involved in the capture of the Belgian ship "Pompei" off Somalia between April and June 2009, has been transferred to Belgium. He was sentenced on February 15 to ten years in prison in absentia by the Court of Appeal of Brussels.
Another Somali Hassan MOK, also suspected of having participated in the capture of the "Pompeii", was extradited in May from the Seychelles Islands to Belgium. He, for his part, was sentenced on 10 December to nine years in prison for his participation in the hijacking of Pompeii, a specialized vessel in laying rocks, co-owned company Jan De Nul and DEME and released after payment of a ransom. He denied any involvement.
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