EU naval force arrests 11 Somali pirates
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European Union anti-piracy mission said on Saturday its Netherlands warship has disrupted and arrested 11 Somali pirates and detained three pirate boats in the middle of Somali Basin.
EU Naval Force spokesman John Harbour said the naval force's Netherlands warship Johan de Witt, only 30 nautical miles from the position, was sent to intercept the suspected pirates on Friday by the Force Commander Jan Thornqvist onboard the Flag ship HSwMS Carlskrona. "The mother ship and the two skiffs were stopped and, following a boarding from Dutch marines, evidence of piracy was found," Harbour said. "In mid-afternoon, HNLMS Johan de Witt found the PAG, consisting of one Whaler and two skiffs with a total of 11suspected pirates. During the approach, the suspected pirates were seen throwing material overboard," he said.
Harbour said all 11 pirates were taken on board Johan de Witt as well as the three pirate boats.
Kenya shares its southern border with Somalia, whose coastline has been infected with piracy in recent years.
More than 160 pirate attacks were reported in the waters off Somalia from the beginning of last year.
Pirate attacks off the Somali coast have continued despite the presence of several warships, deployed by navies of the NATO, the European Union, Russia, China, South Korea and India, in the region to protect cargo and cruise ships against piracy.
