Royal Navy strikes third major blow in a week against pirates
A suspected pirate mother ship has been stopped by the Royal Navy in the third blow dealt to pirates in the past week by UK forces. The dhow – thought to be the launchpad for last week’s attack on an Italian cargo ship – was stopped by the combined efforts of HMS Somerset, RFA Fort Victoria, Royal Marines Commandos and a Merlin helicopter from 829 Naval Air Squadron some 200 miles off Somalia.
A burst of fire sends fountains of water shooting up from the Indian Ocean as another show of overwhelming force from the Royal Navy forces suspected pirates to stop.
This is the moment a pirate mother ship – thought to be behind last week’s attack on an Italian cargo ship – is halted in the third blow in a week dealt to Somali pirates by UK forces.
After freeing the crew of the Montecristo and Pakistani fishermen held hostage on their dhow, the combined punch of RFA Fort Victoria, HMS Somerset, Royal Marines Commandos, raiding craft and a Merlin helicopter struck again, this time snaring a suspected mother ship.
Some 200 miles off the coast of Somalia, Royal Marines from RFA Fort Victoria boarded the hijacked vessel as the men aboard desperately tossed piratical paraphernalia – weapons and boarding equipment – into the Indian Ocean and set one of their skiffs adrift.
Those desperate actions were to no avail – they were observed by the Merlin helicopter from HMS Somerset, which had found the dhow at first light and shadowed it as the frigate and supply ship Fort Victoria closed in.
Even so it took shots across the bow and the Royal Marines scaling the vessel’s side to cause the suspected pirates to capitulate.
Capt Rod Yapp Royal Marines, the commander of the boarding team, said:
“Approaching the dhow before boarding was quite tense. Through my weapon sight I could see dark figures moving in the shadows on the bridge.”
“We quickly boarded and secured the dhow then mustered the 24 occupants on her bow.”
His team found ample evidence that the vessel was being used as the launchpad for pirate attacks: there was a large cache of boarding ladders, weapons, a second attack skiff and equipment from a previously-pirated ship.
Capt Yapp added:
“There was a clear indication that the suspected pirates found on the dhow were well-practised and knew what they were doing.”
“One of the weapons had recently been fired and was well maintained – as was the RPG rocket. I think that if we hadn’t disrupted this group of suspected pirates, it is quite possible that they would have attacked another merchant vessel.”
The green berets also found 20 Pakistani sailors being held hostage. While they were free to go on their way once evidence gathering had finished, the four suspected pirates who were apprehended were handed over to the Italian authorities on suspicion of their involvement in the attack on the MV Montecristo.
The bulk carrier was attacked at the beginning of last week and spent a day and a half in the hands of pirates; her crew were able to retreat to the engine room and were freed when Fort Victoria and her commandos arrived on the scene after picking up the Italians’ SOS.
Fort Victoria is carrying out NATO’s counter-piracy mission in the Indian Ocean, Operation Ocean Shield, while HMS Somerset is currently assigned to the Combined Maritime Forces counter-piracy mission, Combined Task Force (CTF) 151.
Describing this latest success, Somerset’s CO Cdr Paul Bristowe said:
“The mother-ship was located by Somerset’s Merlin helicopter at first light and the boarding teams brought to immediate notice whilst Somerset closed with the dhow.”
The vessel was soon surrounded by a Royal Navy and Royal Marines boarding team from RFA Fort Victoria, supported by HMS Somerset’s helicopter.”
“This operation demanded high levels of seamanship to ensure that the dhow was kept under close observation as the boarding party moved in,” said Fort Victoria’s Commanding Officer, Capt Shaun Jones RFA.”
Capt Gerry Northwood, in charge of the counter-piracy mission aboard Fort Victoria, added:
“This decisive and timely action by the Royal Navy, along with the rescue of the Montecristo on October 11, will send a strong message to those who wish to commit piracy in this part of the world.”
“Somali-based piracy seeks to undermine the freedom of the seas across a wide area.”
“Their victims are local traders and fishermen of the Indian Ocean as well as sailors in the large merchant ships carrying the vital trade on which the UK economy depends.”
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and…ird-Major-Blow
A member of the upper deck gun crew on RFA Fort Victoria, with Royal Navy frigate HMS Somerset in the background
[Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) Dave Jenkins, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]
Royal Marines boarding teams close in on the dhow
[Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) Dave Jenkins, Crown Copyright/MOD 2011]
