Somali pirates on hijacked vessel attack Spanish warship

[News_Editor]

Somali pirates on hijacked vessel attack Spanish warship

2010-11-08 18:29:46 GMT+7 (ICT)

BRUSSELS (BNO NEWS) -- A Spanish warship escorting a vessel chartered by African Union was attacked by Somali pirates on early Sunday, the European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) confirmed on Monday.

The attack happened on Sunday off the east coast of Somalia when the Spanish warship Infanta Cristina, which is assigned to the EU NAVFOR, was escorting the MV Petra 1, which had been chartered by the African Union Military Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

The EU NAVFOR said it came under fire from the Japanese cargo ship MV Izumi, which was hijacked by Somali pirates on October 10 with a crew of 20 Filipinos on board. "This is the first ever attack on an EU warship conducting an AMISOM escort," the naval force said.

When the attack began, the Spanish warship increased speed and maneuvered in order to place herself between the MV Izumi and her escort, the MV Petra 1. "The attack was disrupted and the pirates fled the scene," the naval force said, adding that there were no injuries and no damage.

The EU NAVFOR said it used only minimal force to defend itself and her escort as the MV Izumi was under pirate control with nearly two dozen hostages on board.

After the attack, the Infanta Cristina and the MV Petra 1 continued its journey towards Mogadishu in Somalia without further incident.

The MV Izumi, which has a deadweight of 20,170 tonnes, was hijacked on October 10 about 170 nautical miles (314 kilometers) south of Mogadishu, carrying a crew of 20 Filipinos.

The operator of the ship, NYK-Hinode Line, said it had received an automatic distress signal from its owner, indicating the vessel was likely under pirate attack. The Danish warship HDMS Esbern Snare of the NATO counter piracy force was dispatched to intercept and investigate the vessel and confirmed it was under pirate control.

The ship had been carrying steel products from Japan via Singapore towards Mombasa, said NYK-Hinode Line.

Currently, Somali pirates are holding nearly 20 ships with a total of more than 300 hostages, according to the European naval force. Most hijackings usually end without casualties when a ransom has been paid. This, however, often takes many months.

In recent years, Somali pirates have hijacked dozens of ships, taking in tens of millions of dollars in ransom. European Union ships are patrolling the shipping lanes near Somalia in an effort to reduce hijackings, but the anti-piracy force has warned that attacks are likely to increase now that the regional monsoon season has ended.

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