NATO Warship Rotterdam Intercepts Suspect Pirate Skiff

Dutch warship HNLMS Rotterdam, on the morning of 11 Oct, put an end to the activities of a group of suspected pirates from Somalia. The suspected pirates and their boat were taken on board the Rotterdam pending further decision.

The search for the pirate action group began the previous afternoon when the Spanish fishing vessel, Izurdia, reported an attack by a skiff. "The timely and complete reporting of the Izurdia enabled us focused action. Following coordination between the staffs of NATO and EU task forces the Rotterdam eventually managed to intercept the suspected pirates," said Commodiore Bekkering, Commander of NATO Task Force 508.

Shots

"During our search for the suspect skiff by the crew on the bridge the Cougar helicopter and boarding team were deployed," says the commander of Rotterdam, Commander Huub Hulsker said. "From the helicopter, the suspect skiff was forced to stop with warning shots. The boarding team took seven suspects onto the Rotterdam where they are now being held."

TF 508

HNLMS Rotterdam conducts patrols for Operation Ocean Shield, NATO's contribution to the international anti-piracy mission in the waters around the Horn of Africa. Aboard the flagship of NATO's Task Force 508 are about 350 soldiers from all areas of Dutch armed forces and from 8 different NATO countries.

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Source: http://www.oceanuslive.org/