NATO forces recaptured a vessel that had been captured by Somali pirates on Friday, according to a spokesperson for the European Union.
According to NATO commander John Harbour, the mission successfully freed 25 of the vessel’s crew members who had been taken hostage by the pirates.
Pirate Ship Captured
The vessel, named the Ariella, originated from Antigua and Barbados. She was travelling through the Gulf of Aden, into the Indian Ocean, when Somali pirates boarded her on Friday. However, before the pirates could overtake the ship, members of the Ariella’s crew were able to send out a distress call over their radio systems.
The distress call reached a nearby European Maritime aircraft, which confirmed the position of the Ariella. The plane then radioed to NATO, which organized for Danish Special Forces to take the vessel by force. By the time the Danes arrived, the pirates had fled the ship and trapped the crew members in a compartment deep inside the ship.
The route taken by the Ariella is one of the most dangerous in the world. Ships travelling through the Gulf of Aden are frequently boarded and overtaken by Somali pirates. Responding to this danger, NATO forces has cooperated in recent years to patrol the waters and attempt to defend vessels against pirates.
No comments:
Post a Comment