Cargo Business Newswire

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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

NATO anti-piracy coalition claims two recent successes

The multi-national NATO Counter Piracy Task Force has claimed two successful operations in the past week in the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean.

According to a statement released by NATO, on January 6, the USS Carney responded to intelligence from other counter-piracy forces and intercepted the Indian-flagged vessel Al Qashmi off the southwestern coast of Oman.

A “board and search” team from the USS Carney safely boarded the Al Qashmi and with no hard-enough evidence of piracy, subsequently released 9 suspected Somali pirates back to their own boats, along with giving them sufficient fuel, provisions and water to journey back to Somalia, the NATO statement said.

The second incident reportedly occurred on January 7 close to the Somali coast a vessel “of Iranian nationality,” was identified as a potential pirate mothership by the Danish warship HDMS Absalon.

After tracking the vessel throughout the night, the Absalon launched a helicopter by early morning and confirmed the vessel was carrying fast boats fit the profile of those widely used by pirates, NATO said.

The vessel reportedly turned towards the Somali coast after being hailed by the Absalon, which then fired warning shots.

The Absalon, under cover of its helicopter, reportedly boarded the vessel before evidence of piracy could be dispatched and subsequently detained 25 suspected pirates.

The vessel’s crew of 5 Iranian nationals and 9 from Pakistan were interviewed aboard the Absalon and given medical checks that showed no injuries resulting from the warning shots, along with access to call relatives that they were safe, the NATO statement said.