EU Maritime Forces Free Sailors Following Somali Piracy Incident on Oil Tanker
European Union maritime units have safely freed 24 sailors from a Malta-registered petroleum vessel that was targeted by sea robbers off the coast of Somali waters.
The Hellas Aphrodite, which was carrying petrol from Indian ports to South African destinations, was taken over on Thursday when heavily armed attackers opened fire with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades before boarding the vessel.
The crew locked themselves inside a fortified citadel while the pirates assumed command of the ship.
Successful Rescue Operation
A Spanish warship, functioning under the EU's anti-piracy mission, arrived at the tanker on Friday afternoon. Special forces entered the vessel and discovered all 24 crew members unharmed.
"All personnel is safe and no injuries have been documented. During the incident, they remained in the secure area in direct contact with the operation," officials stated, noting that a "demonstration of power" had prompted the attackers to abandon the ship before the naval unit reached the location.
Ongoing Threat
Officials added that the threat risk in the region "continues to be serious" as the armed groups are continue to be in the vicinity.
The mission utilized a helicopter, unmanned aerial vehicle and surveillance aircraft. Just hours earlier, a different vessel in the identical region was targeted by a fast boat but managed to evade it.
Resurgence of Piracy
This event represents the most recent in a spate of attacks that have raised alarms about a renewal of maritime crime in the region.
Such activity had declined when global maritime security and protective protocols were implemented after reaching their highest point more than a ten years past.
Nevertheless, attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels on vessels in the Arabian Sea, which have been conducted for the recent period, have caused ships to be rerouted through the African coastline - creating new opportunities for local pirate groups.
Incident Data
- Multiple piracy cases of maritime crime occurred off the coast of the Somali region in the previous year
- Several vessel takeovers were recorded among these events
- Only one incident of maritime crime was reported in the preceding year
Maritime security experts continue to monitor the situation as vessel operators travel through these potentially hazardous waters.