The Spanish frigate Victoryintegrated into the European operation Atalanta in the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean, released a Maltese-flagged tanker with 24 crew members on Friday. The tanker, according to what was reported by the EU operations headquarters, deployed at the Rota base (Cadiz), had been diverted the previous day approximately 700 nautical miles (1,296 kilometers) from the Somali capital, Mogadishu.
The 24 crew members of the Hellas Aphroditewho had taken refuge in the cargo ship’s citadel and were in contact with the EU operation, were released without injury. According to Atalanta’s statement, “after an initial show of force”, the pirates left Greece Appphrodite. The liberation was carried out by the Spanish Navy frigate with its helicopter, a drone, the special operations team and a reconnaissance plane.
Immediately after the news of the kidnapping, a search was launched in which a Japanese maritime patrol plane operating in the area, the maritime authorities of the Seychelles and those of Puntland, the breakaway region of northern Somalia, collaborated. The pirates, who fled before the arrival of the Spanish frigate, are searched. Atalanta makes this known.
Piracy actions off the coast of Somalia, reduced to a minimum in recent years, have experienced a new upswing following the Israeli offensive on Gaza and attacks by the Yemeni Houthis against ships crossing the Red Sea.
