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East African coast: German cargo ship seized by unknown assailants

A German shipping vessel has been targeted by pirates in a hostile takeover near the coast of Somalia in the Indian Ocean.

Elite forces abseiled down from aboard a helicopter to rescue the freighter
Elite forces abseiled down from aboard a helicopter to rescue the freighter

Pirate attack - East African coast: German cargo ship seized by unknown assailants

According to the European Union's naval operation "Atalanta," the recent assault on the cargo ship "Basilik" from Hamburg took place 700 kilometers east of Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia in East Africa.

Reports reveal that a naval ship patrolling close by quickly responded and managed to rescue both the cargo ship and its crew members. Navy soldiers even descended onto the ship from a helicopter during the operation.

"The 17 crew members are safe," said a spokesperson for Atalanta in Rota, Spain, on Friday. "One crew member was hurt in the attack by the suspected pirates. His condition is stable now, and he received medical treatment on board."

The Basilik, which measures about 160 meters in length, is operated by Hamburg-based Minship shipping company. As reported by the "Atalanta" command, this shipping vessel was sailing north under the Liberian flag at the time of the assault. The command constantly communicated with the shipping company and the flag state throughout the entire operation.

The German freighter

The waters off the coast of Somalia have been a pirate hotspot, with frequent armed attacks on ships occurring in the area. This is why a multinational naval mission of the European Union (EU) has been keeping watch over the region since 2008.

Operation Atalanta aims to safeguard humanitarian aid supplies, uphold freedom of navigation, and combat piracy off the coast of Somalia. Ships that want to be watched over for their safety can voluntarily register with maritime security in the Horn of Africa. This has substantially reduced the number of attacks since 2008.

A warship from the EU naval operation

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Source: symclub.org

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