The Dutch Ministry of Defence has released a video where the Dutch frigate Hr. Ms. Rotterdam frees a hijacked ship in the Gulf of Aden. Different units were tracking the hijacked so-called dhow after which the Rotterdam could successfully free its crew.
The persons suspected of piracy were transferred to the Hr. Ms. Rotterdam on Monday and are being detained there. The freed crew are doing well.
The Operation
Freeing the ship followed after an operation of several days. The search for the pirates started four days earlier after Bosaaso's port authorities in Puntland reported a possible hijacking of a cargo dhow. After a few days, a French frigate found the dhow after which it became clear the pirates had transferred onto a different dhow. That ship was headed to the coast of Puntland and was found by a German frigate a day later.
Setting a Trap
The commander of the NATO-fleet participating in the anti-piracy mission Ocean Shield, Ben Bekkering, adds: 'We did not think it likely that the dhow would return to Bosaaso, as the port authorities have previously shown to take action against pirates. We did know that there were two hijacked ships closer to the shore, near villages that house pirates. Therefore, the pirates on board the dhow would most likely either sail to the shore in a small boat of their own or be picked up by accomplices. By shielding the coast with the Rotterdam, its helicopters and landingcraft, their return to land was blocked. And that is exactly what happened. The dhow sailed into the trap after which the Rotterdam finished the job.'
Warning Shots
'They were trappped,' says the commander of the Rotterdam Huub Hulsker. 'After some warnings through the ships's megaphone and two warning shots, the pirates surrendered. The boarding team soon went aboard and wiithin twenty minutes the situation was under control.'
Coordination
'It is clear pirates feel ever more pressure,' adds Bekkering. 'Even if they manage to leave the shore, it is very hard for them to remain inconspicuous. This is largely due to wide international efforts and the coordination between all parties involved. In this case, both the NATO and EU were involved. That the Rotterdam was able to perform the last part of the operation was possible because of excellent preparation of the other players in the team.' The Hr. Ms. Rotterdam has only been Ocean Shield's flagship for a week. The frigate has approximately 350 people from all kinds of army forces and from eight different NATO-countries on board.
