They must be remembering the Barbary coast but the actions of SPS INFANTA CRISTINA seem to be interesting.
Operating with the EUNVFOR, that is the nacsent EU navy off the coast of Somalia the ship which has been the subject an attack by pirates in the last week turned the tables,
On 13 November, the EU NAVFOR warship SPS INFANTA CRISTINA intercepted a whaler with four suspected pirates on board. The whaler was located 200 nautical miles off the Somali Coast. The SPS INFANTA CRISTINA was patrolling the area as part of the EU NAVFOR’s Operation ATALANTA.
The whaler, which had been initially spotted by an EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA), was found to be operating with a skiff and was suspected of being a support vessel for pirate activities in the region.
All well and good, what strikes me is what they did next,The Spanish warship launched its Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB) with a specialist boarding team to intercept both vessels. The whaler was successfully intercepted and four suspected pirates found to be onboard. The skiff fled the scene.
There was insufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution. Therefore the whaler was destroyed and the four suspected pirates were returned to Somalia. This disruption has hampered pirate action and avoided highly probable attacks on merchant and vulnerable vessels.
Not enough evidence for a prosecution but they sank it anyway, as from what they saw as the balance of probabilities it was involved in piracy
4 comments:
I heard the Russians don't bother to take them offboard first.
That's the spirit!
It amazes me that the entire Western economy lets itself by ransomed by a few ill equipped Somalis like this.
As I said to Her Indoors an hour ago, I don't care who co-operates with whom, NATO, EU, Indians, Chinese, I'm not bothered - let's just declare the shipping lanes to be no go areas for all but proper licensed ships flying appropriate flags (and paying appropriate taxes) carrying oil and cheap electronics etc, and any other boat in the area gets sunk.
Be it Somali pirates, Devon pensioners on a retirement cruise or innocent African fishermen, sink the f***ers and have done with it.
B.S. Where are the pirates? That so called whaler is loaded with drums, taken out, and shot at for target practice. What else do you see? Wouldn't they be displaying their captives with relish? Or are they deep six'd?
One might assume the drums are full of fuel for a longish sea trip. It's a non-report as it stands.
Mark
That however isn't official party policy... no matter how much sympathy I hve with it.
I understand that the Devonian couple did have a legal flag.
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