Ships Report Trading Shots with Pirates, Including a 30-Minute Firefight
The incidents of commercial shipping being approached by pirates between Somalia and Yemen are continuing and appearing to get more brazen, with multiple reports of shots fired. One cargo ship said its security guards returned fire for approximately 30 minutes on Sunday with two small boats.
The Maritime Security Center Indian Ocean (MSCIO), which was established by the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Atalanta, reported two new incidents on Monday and another on Sunday while repeating its cautions to vessels operating in the area. It is “strongly advised to maintain heightened vigilance” in the region, MSCIO wrote in its alert.
A container vessel sailing approximately 14 nautical miles off the coast of Yemen, between Aden and Ahar, reported today that it was approached by a small skiff. It said the boat opened fire and was attempting to board the container vessel.
Maritime security firm Vanguard Tech is reporting the vessel as the Egyptian-owned Greta Star (22,968 dwt). The ship, which has a capacity of 1,730 TEU and is registered in Panama, is showing on its AIS that it was sailing between Oman and Djibouti. Vanguard reports it as “heavy firearms,” but that the ship was able to increase speed and prevent the boarding.
Several hours later, UK Maritime Trade Operations received information from the master of a tanker that it too had been approached today, June 15. The vessel was 111 nautical miles southeast of Aden, Yemen. A small skiff with four people approached and reportedly opened fire with an RPG.
On Sunday, June 14, an unidentified cargo ship said it was approached by two small boats, each with six people aboard. It was sailing along the northern coast of Yemen, south of the Horn of Africa, and near Xaafunn. The small boats reportedly hailed the cargo ship, ordering it to stop. The small boats opened fire, and the security team returned fire for approximately 30 minutes before the boats turned away.
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These recent incidents followed another last Wednesday, June 10, when a small boat with six armed individuals approached a cargo vessel also in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel was 88 nautical miles southwest of Balhaf, Yemen, and there was another exchange of gunfire. The small boat also turned away after the security team returned fire.
Atalanta has reported an increase in the number of incidents since April of this year. Three ships, including two small laden tankers, were reported boarded and taken to positions of the coast of Yemen. The EU initiative is working with the local authorities and investigating the rash of incidents in the region.