Photo credit: EU Naval Force-Operation Atalanta
A piracy attack against a Liberian-flagged vessel underway in the Indian Ocean on Thursday has been thwarted without any of its crew coming to serious harm.
The vessel Basilisk has been safely secured by attending naval forces whilst all its 17 crew is reported to safe.
The European Union’s naval force Operation Atalanta confirmed on Friday the liberation of the Liberian-flagged merchant vessel Basilisk.
“The 17 crewmembers are safe, and the ship has been secured by one Atalanta vessel,” the EU’s naval forces of EUNAVFOR – Operation Atalanta said in a statement early on Friday.
The ship was attacked by suspected pirates on May 23 whilst transiting the Indian Ocean, sailing approximately 380 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, Somalia, heading north.
Thursday night, the Atalanta warship patrolling the area arrived, and the naval forces went on board the vessel using the Fast-Rope technique from the helicopter.
Photo credit: EU Naval Force-Operation Atalanta
As it is reported by EUNAVFOR, during the attack of the suspected pirates, one of the crew was injured.
“He is in a stable condition and has received medical attention on board by Atalanta medical team,” the report said.
Throughout the complete event, the Operation Atalanta was in permanent contact with the ship-owner company and the Flagship State.
Operation Atalanta strongly recommends merchant and other vulnerable vessels to register in the Maritime Security Centre – Horn of Africa’s voluntary registration scheme, to provide the most effective monitoring and response by Atalanta forces and their partners in countering maritime security threats.
