EU warship rescues Indian dhow, 15 mariners from pirates

A European Union warship rescued an Indian dhow and 15 mariners from the captivity of Somali pirates after a three-day action in the high seas recently.

On January 17, the EU NAVFOR warship FGS Luebeck located an India registered dhow which was used as a pirate mother- ship to target a Dutch merchant vessel, MV Flintstone, earlier on the same day.

"A Dutch Vessel Protection Detachment (VPD) stationed on MV Flintstone had repelled the attack following a gun-fight and forced the pirate skiffs to retreat back to the mother ship," a EU NAVFOR Public Affairs Office release said.

Having positively identified the dhow, attack skiffs and other pirate paraphernalia on its deck, FSG Luebeck approached it and asked it to comply via radio messages. Sustained pressure was applied to the dhow through the presence of FGS Luebeck including direct shots fired into its bow and use of helicopter to neutralise the attack skiffs secured on the upper deck, said the release.

During the night of January 19, the EU warship established control of the situation to allow another merchant ship ME Enrico Ievoli to rendezvous with the Indian dhow.

An Italian tanker- MV Enrico Ievoli was hijacked by in December last year. FGS Luebeck successfully supervised transfer of an injured pirate from the dhow to the Italian tanker after which it took its control and secured release of the crew members.