Somali Pirates: "Suspected" pirates nabbed after attacks off Somalia

 The Independent reports "Suspected Somali pirates captured by Navy-led forces after attack on supertanker":

HMAS Melbourne on scene

A group of Somali pirates was stopped in its tracks by an international operation led by a British commander, the Royal Navy has announced.

The pirates were caught by the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) counter piracy task force - Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 - in an operation involving ships from several nations, including Britain, after recent attacks on two vessels in the Indian Ocean.
***
Its counter piracy task force's operation was coordinated by Royal Fleet Auxiliary replenishment ship RFA Fort Victoria, which traditionally provides crucial supplies for Royal Navy and coalition warships east of Suez, and supported by Australian ship HMAS Melbourne; South Korean destroyer ROKS Wang Geon; European Union flagship HMLMS Johan de Witt, and a Seychelles-based maritime patrol aircraft from Luxembourg.

The task force, whose commander is Royal Navy Commodore Jeremy Blunden, had been searching for the pirates since they attacked and exchanged gunfire with the supertanker Island Splendor on October 11.

Three days later a Spanish fishing vessel was also attacked by what was suspected to be the same pirates.

The pirate skiffs were quickly traced and HMAS Melbourne's Seahawk helicopter was used to guide the warship to their precise location, around 500 nautical miles from the Somali coast.

HMAS Melbourne boarding team and suspects

HMAS Melbourne's armed boarding team boarded and searched the boats, apprehending nine pirates and later destroying two skiffs and their piracy equipment.

Another take (with an Aussie focus), from The Sydney Morning Herald, "Australian navy ship captures Somali pirates":

The HMAS Melbourne has scuttled two pirate boats and captured nine suspected Somali pirates as part of a multinational taskforce attack on rogue sea operators.

A Seahawk helicopter traced the skiffs and guided the Royal Australian Navy warship to them, 500 nautical miles from the Somali coast, a statement from the Combined Maritime Forces counter-piracy taskforce has said.

HMAS Melbourne's helicopter dispatches suspect skiff

And the Combined Maritime Forces version from here:

Commander Brian Schlegel, Royal Australian Navy, Commanding Officer of HMAS Melbourne, said: “It is clear that there are still pirates out there determined to generate income from taking merchant ships hostage. Mariners have been served a timely reminder of the perils of transiting the Somali coastline.”

Photos from CMF.

Somali Pirates: USS Bulkeley and Its Helicopter Protects Large Tanker, Pirates Unsuccessful in Dodging Bullets

Reported as USS BULKELEY PROTECTS MV ARTEMIS GLORY FROM PIRATE ATTACK:

USS Bulkeley (DDG-84)

At 1035 a.m. (local) May 16, MV Artemis Glory came under attack from pirates.

The German owned, Panama flagged very large crude carrier (VLCC) was on route from Juaymah Terminal in Saudi Arabia to China with a cargo of crude oil. The motor vessel came under attack whilst sailing south east through the Gulf of Oman.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Diligence (A132) received a mayday call from the MV Artemis Glory, saying that their ship was under attack by pirates.

MV Artemis Glory

RFA Diligence relayed the mayday message to Combined Maritime Forces. UKMTO confirmed in a conversation with the Master of the MV Artemis Glory that she was being pursued by a skiff with four individuals on board who were firing small arms at the vessel.

USS Bulkeley, (DDG 84) operating with Combined Maritime Forces, responded to the mayday and launched her helicopter, an SH-60B from “Vipers” helicopter squadron, light (HSL) 48, detachment four to investigate the mayday call.

SH-60B (U.S. Navy photo)

The helicopter observed the MV Artemis Glory under attack by four individuals in a skiff, who were firing upon the Artemis Glory with small arms.

Under the principle of ‘extended unit self defence’ and in order to provide protection to the crew of the MV Artemis Glory, Bulkeley’s helicopter engaged the pirates. All of the pirates are believed to have been killed.

MV Artemis Glory has 23 crew persons onboard. No crew members were injured in the attack.

MV Artemis Glory photo by Ivan Meshkov from Shipspotting.com and used in accord with terms of that site.

Somali Pirates: USS Mason Intercepts Pirate Mother-ship in Arabian Sea

USS Mason Intercepts Pirate Mother-ship in Arabian Sea:

Guided missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87), flagship of the Singapore-led Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, freed a dhow from suspected pirates in the Arabian Sea, April 10.

The FV Nasri was initially sighted on April 9, by an Australian Maritime Patrol Aircraft. USS Mason, being the nearest warship, was tasked immediately to close and investigate.

Mason and its embarked helicopter located the Nasri early on the morning, April 10. The helicopter’s crew saw 16 personnel, a motored skiff, a ladder and several oil barrels on board. The personnel on the dhow complied with verbal warnings to stop, and assemble on the deck where they could be clearly seen.

The boarding team from Mason searched the dhow and found weapons and other common piracy paraphernalia, such as ladders and excessive fuel drums. They identified 11 of the men as suspected pirates, and five as members of the dhow’s crew.

Pirates are known to use the crew of captured vessels as hostages and also to operate their vessels as mother-ships from which to launch further attacks.

The Nasri was returned to its crew and departed the area.