Pirates Abandon Ship, Four Suspected Pirates to Be Prosecuted in Kenya

EU NAVFOR reports that the Panama flagged MV LUGELA was hijacked on Saturday, 900 miles east of Eyl, Somalia.

Late Sunday the Greek owners of the cargo ship reported the ship had been released and that the Ukrainian crew of 11 was now in control of the vessel.

EU NAVFOR says it is monitoring the situation.

Also on Monday, EU NAVFOR welcomed the decision of the Kenya authorities to prosecute four suspected pirates, interdicted by the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship SPS GALICIA.

On 24 September, the boarding team from the EU NAVFOR Spanish ship SPS GALICIA approached a suspicious Kenyan dhow off the eastern coast of Somalia. After investigation, it transpired that there were nine Kenyan crew members and one Somali translator being held by four suspected pirates. The crew was liberated and all 14 people were transferred to the EU NAVFOR Spanish warship.

On its arrival in Mombasa, Kenya, the EU NAVFOR ship SPS GALICIA will transfer the four suspected pirates to the Kenyan authorities. The former hostages will be transferred to the Kenyan Police and Prosecutor to give their statements, and thereby assist in building the prosecution case.

“Kenya is one of our strongest partners in the region”, says Major General Buster Howes, EU NAVFOR Operation Commander. “Since the transfer agreement, 75 suspected pirates have been transferred to Kenya for prosecution and EU NAVFOR is pleased to know that 14 suspected pirates have already been convicted and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment each. I hope we will continue to tackle this regional problem together.”

With the addition of this pirate group to date, EU NAVFOR will have transferred 10 groups of suspected pirates comprising 79 individuals to the Kenyan authorities for prosecution in the Kenyan national court.

Prosecutions are conducted by Kenyan prosecutors under Kenyan Law before a single magistrate. EU NAVFOR officers work in close cooperation with Kenyan prosecutors and the local police to prepare the prosecution case. In all cases, the accused persons have the benefit of legal representation.

EU NAVFOR Somalia – Operation ATALANTA’s main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the World Food Program (WFP) and vessels of African Union Mission in Somalia, AMISOM and to protect vulnerable vessels in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy. EU NAVFOR also monitors fishing activity off the coast of Somalia.

EU NAVFOR Media Release