Somalia: Naval Patrol Seizes Weapons From Pirate Suspects

24 August 2009
allAfrica.com

Naval patrols fired warning shots to stop suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden at the weekend, later seizing ladders, rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

The European Union Naval Force for Somalia said in a news release that a Japanese maritime patrol aircraft spotted a skiff on Saturday which was carrying seven people, a ladder and large amounts of fuel. The skiff was about 80 nautical miles east of Aden and five nautical miles from merchant shipping.

A Norwegian warship gave chase and a Dutch warship sent a helicopter to follow the skiff. When the occupants of the skiff tried to get away, the helicopter crew fired warning shots.

Norwegian sailors using fast, rigid-hulled inflatable boats boarded the skiff and seized and disposed of the weapons. But, according to the EU force's news release, "due to the lack of positive evidence of a pirate attack, the skiff and its crew were finally released."

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