EU naval forces break up pirate attack on tanker

Zanzibar - The EU’s counter-piracy operation scored a spectacular success against pirates Tuesday morning by its quick response to a tanker’s distress signal under fire from pirates off the east African coast.

The attack took place off the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, in east African waters south of Somalia, according to a press release by the EU Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR). The French tanker, Nordneptune, adopted so-called ”Best Management Practices” by immediately radioing for help and starting evasive manoeuvres. The ship successfully evaded the first attack, but the pirates were still at large. Within an hour, the EU NAVFOR frigate FS Nivôse, which was in the area, responded to the distress call but during the same interval, Nordneptune, was under attack again, this time by two pirate skiffs. Nivôse by now was close enough to launch its helicopter and disrupted the attack. The frigate, on closing with the tanker, fired warning shots at the pirate skiffs, which gave up their attacks and fled into Tanzanian territorial waters. The Tanzanian Coast Guard is continuing the pursuit.