One of three European Union (EU) naval operations off Africa continues surveillance of a Chinese fishing vessel seemingly hijacked off Somalia in what is being called a robbery at sea.
Operation Atalanta, the longest serving EU naval force in African waters, has had the unnamed vessel under 24/7 surveillance since 5 December following an alert issued by the Puntland Maritime Police force. Atalanta has been operational in the Indian Ocean off Somalia and the adjacent Red Sea since 2009 while its sister missions Operation Irini, in the Mediterranean Sea, and Operation Aspides, in the Red Sea, have between them racked up two months short of four years of operations.
Atalanta assets in the form of flagship ESPS Santa Maria (F81) carrying a Scan Eagle unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and onboard Augusta-Bell AB-212 helicopter keep up 24/7 surveillance of the Chinese vessel. Additionally, Atalanta maintains contact with Chinese and Somali authorities and the EU delegation in Somalia.
In November, Atalanta warned the threat level against shipping in its area of operations (AoO) was “moderate”. Vessels were urged to maintain heightened vigilance ahead of a possible escalation in pirate activity in the Somali Basin an eastern Gulf of Aden.
