U.K. Royal Navy HMS Chatham intercepts pirate mother ship
UNITED KINGDOM - 16 APRIL 2010
Royal Navy warship HMS Chatham has intercepted a hijacked dhow, being used as a pirate mother ship, to the east of the Gulf of Aden and set free its kidnapped crew.
The Royal Navy frigate, which is part of NATO's counter-piracy mission, Operation OCEAN SHIELD, spent three days shadowing MSV Viskvakalayan, exerting pressure on the Somali pirates on board until the vessel ran out of fuel and was forced to stop.
The Somali pirates had previously seized the Indian-flagged dhow to use as their mother ship.
Stricken and overwhelmed by the Royal Navy warship, which closed to the point of bringing the mother ship alongside, the pirates were directed to leave the Vishvakalayan under the shadow of HMS Chatham's close range weapons and Royal Marines marksmen.
They then fled back to the Somali coast in a smaller skiff, leaving the dhow and her crew unharmed.
It is believed that the dhow had been used to mount an unsuccessful attack against at least one merchant ship over the preceding days, before she was intercepted by HMS Chatham.
It was Chatham's Lynx helicopter which located the suspect dhow and, as the warship approached, it became clear that the personnel on board the vessel were carrying a variety of weapons including rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 rifles.
The action taken by the warship, her helicopter, and fast boats with Royal Marines embarked, over the three days, left the pirates no option but to comply with NATO's demands and peacefully abandon the dhow.
The master and fourteen other crew members of the Vishvakalayan were extremely relieved to be released and grateful to HMS Chatham's crew, who provided them with medical assistance, water and fuel to allow them to proceed towards the next port.
Commander Simon Huntington, HMS Chatham's Commanding Officer, said:
"We have actively disrupted a group of pirates who had hijacked this dhow, taking the crew hostage, and they were obviously intent on seizing a larger merchant vessel and its crew for criminal means.
"I am extremely pleased that due to the actions of my ship's company, HMS Chatham quickly found and intercepted them, forcing them to abort their mission; but what is most rewarding for all of us involved in this operation is that we have secured the release of this dhow and her crew unharmed and without the need for an escalation in violence."
NATO has contributed to the international counter-piracy effort off the Horn of Africa since December 2008.
The mission has expanded from escorting UN and World Food Progamme shipping under Operation ALLIED PROVIDER to protecting merchant traffic in the Gulf of Aden under Operation ALLIED PROTECTOR.
In addition to these activities and as part of the latest mission, Operation OCEAN SHIELD, NATO is working with other international bodies to help develop the capacity of countries in the region to tackle piracy on their own.
NATO has recently announced its commitment to Operation OCEAN SHIELD has been extended to December 2012.
Commander Simon Huntington is thanked by a member of MSV Viskvakalayan's crew
File Photo: U.K. Royal Navy HMS Chatham
Source: U.K. Ministry of Defence
UNITED KINGDOM - 16 APRIL 2010
Royal Navy warship HMS Chatham has intercepted a hijacked dhow, being used as a pirate mother ship, to the east of the Gulf of Aden and set free its kidnapped crew.
The Royal Navy frigate, which is part of NATO's counter-piracy mission, Operation OCEAN SHIELD, spent three days shadowing MSV Viskvakalayan, exerting pressure on the Somali pirates on board until the vessel ran out of fuel and was forced to stop.
The Somali pirates had previously seized the Indian-flagged dhow to use as their mother ship.
Stricken and overwhelmed by the Royal Navy warship, which closed to the point of bringing the mother ship alongside, the pirates were directed to leave the Vishvakalayan under the shadow of HMS Chatham's close range weapons and Royal Marines marksmen.
They then fled back to the Somali coast in a smaller skiff, leaving the dhow and her crew unharmed.
It is believed that the dhow had been used to mount an unsuccessful attack against at least one merchant ship over the preceding days, before she was intercepted by HMS Chatham.
It was Chatham's Lynx helicopter which located the suspect dhow and, as the warship approached, it became clear that the personnel on board the vessel were carrying a variety of weapons including rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 rifles.
The action taken by the warship, her helicopter, and fast boats with Royal Marines embarked, over the three days, left the pirates no option but to comply with NATO's demands and peacefully abandon the dhow.
The master and fourteen other crew members of the Vishvakalayan were extremely relieved to be released and grateful to HMS Chatham's crew, who provided them with medical assistance, water and fuel to allow them to proceed towards the next port.
Commander Simon Huntington, HMS Chatham's Commanding Officer, said:
"We have actively disrupted a group of pirates who had hijacked this dhow, taking the crew hostage, and they were obviously intent on seizing a larger merchant vessel and its crew for criminal means.
"I am extremely pleased that due to the actions of my ship's company, HMS Chatham quickly found and intercepted them, forcing them to abort their mission; but what is most rewarding for all of us involved in this operation is that we have secured the release of this dhow and her crew unharmed and without the need for an escalation in violence."
NATO has contributed to the international counter-piracy effort off the Horn of Africa since December 2008.
The mission has expanded from escorting UN and World Food Progamme shipping under Operation ALLIED PROVIDER to protecting merchant traffic in the Gulf of Aden under Operation ALLIED PROTECTOR.
In addition to these activities and as part of the latest mission, Operation OCEAN SHIELD, NATO is working with other international bodies to help develop the capacity of countries in the region to tackle piracy on their own.
NATO has recently announced its commitment to Operation OCEAN SHIELD has been extended to December 2012.
Commander Simon Huntington is thanked by a member of MSV Viskvakalayan's crew
File Photo: U.K. Royal Navy HMS Chatham
Source: U.K. Ministry of Defence
