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EU Anti Pirate Operation Reports Two Ships Destroyed
I didn't realize the Mistral class helo platform was so large: 21,000 tons.
Pirate news from the Indian Ocean.
French naval crews destroyed two pirate "mother ships" and captured 22 pirates total in two separate actions, according to a EU NAVFOR news release.
- Thursday afternoon the French light frigate Nivose located and searched a pirate "mother ship" with two smaller skiffs 480 nautical miles off the eastern coast of Somalia.
The search found what was described a pirate paraphernalia. The crew took 11 Somali prisoners and the two skiff aboard before sinking the larger vessel.
- Saturday morning, a Swedish surveillance aircraft located a pirate action group 450 nautical miles off the eastern coast of Somalia.
The French amphibious assault helicopter carrier Tonnere was dispatched to the area. A helo crew launched to monitor the pirate force recorded the Somali pirates as they dumped weapons and equipment overboard..
A boarding party was sent and they secured the rest of the equipment and took 11 suspects into custody. The French also took two of the skiffs aboard.
The mother ship, a whaler, was sunk at the scene.
Posted by: badanov 2010-05-02 |
