MANAMA, Bahrain - North Korea flagged, Yemeni owned MV Napht Al Yemen 1 repelled a pirate attack on January 20 in the Gulf of Aden near the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor.
The initial distress call made by MV Napht Al Yemen 1, was received by US Navy destroyer USS Pinckney, currently assigned to Combined Task Force 151. USS Pinckney immediately responded by sending a SH-60B Seahawk helicopter to intercept the pirate skiff. However, the embarked security team on board the MV Napht Al Yemen was able to repel the maritime piracy attack.
The suspected pirate skiff was identified through the combined efforts of USS Pinckney's helicopter as well as maritime patrol aircraft belonging to Combined Task Force 465, which is part of the European Union forces in the Gulf. The pirate skiff was subsequently stopped and boarded by the boarding team from USS Porter. This was the first successful boarding since
the Singapore Navy took over command of CTF 151, also on Jan. 20.
Commander CTF 151, Rear Admiral Bernard Miranda, Royal Singapore Navy applauded the efforts by all parties in coordinating the response to the piracy attack. "Whilst the primary responsibility for the security of merchant vessels lies with industry, close coordination among all military
forces operating in the region is a critical factor in harnessing the capabilities of these forces to respond to such incidents," Miranda said.
Commercial and civilian vessels are strongly encouraged to incorporate counter-piracy "best practices" to prevent acts of piracy when operating in dangerous waters. Those best practices include maintaining a 24 hour lookout for suspicious activity, reporting any suspicious activity to authorities, engaging in evasive maneuvering and speed during a pirate attack and contracting civilian security teams. Embarked sucurity teams have proven to be the most effective practice to defend against pirate attacks.
CTF 151 is a multi-national task force established in January 2009 to conduct counter piracy operations under a mission based mandate to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy in order to protect global maritime security and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all nations. It
operates in the Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia.
Combined Maritime Forces, operating out of Bahrain, continues to urge mariners to employ defensive measures when transiting the Horn of Africa, Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean.
| Date Taken: | 01.24.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 01.24.2010 07:19 |
| Story ID: | 44363 |
| Location: | MANAMA, BH |
| Web Views: | 377 |
| Downloads: | 348 |
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