Incident: Vessel fired upon

A vessel, not otherwise identified, is fired upon by four skiff launching rocket propelled grenades while sailing the Indian Ocean 140 NM northeast of Kismayo, Somalia. A US warship launched a helicopter to assist, which arrived after the attack was aborted. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 9/9/09)

Incident: Cargo ship fired upon

A cargo ship, not otherwise identified, is fired upon in the Gulf of Aden by "armed pirates in a skiff" after a chase.

Alarm raised, crew mustered, evasive manoeuvres made and distress signal sent on VHF Ch. 16. A warship and a military helicopter arrived at location to render assistance.

(ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: Vessel fired upon

A vessel, not otherwise identified, was fired upon in the Gulf of Aden "by one small cargo vessel with a blue hull with 14 people onboard. The vessel changed course and managed to evade the attack." (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 9/9/09)

Incident: US promises air cover for Seychelles

The US African command, AFRICOM, announced if will be supplying drone aircraft patrols over the waters surrounding the Seychelles as well as P-3 Orion maritime patrols. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 8/19/09)

Incident: NATO launches Ocean Shield operation

NATO's Ocean Shield operation begins off the Horn of Africa.

"No timeframe has been set for this long-term operation, which will last as long as it's deemed necessary," Major Stefano Sbaccanti, a spokesman from the alliance's Joint Command Lisbon, told AFP. It takes over from NATO's sea-based operation Allied Protector, launched last year, but with a new mandate to also "assist regional states, upon their request, in developing their own ability to combat piracy," a statement said. The operation "will contribute to a lasting maritime security solution off the Horn of Africa," NATO said. NATO's Joint Command Lisbon is in overall command, with day-to-day operations controlled out of the alliance's Maritime Component Command Headquarters Northwood in Britain. British, Greek, Italian, Turkish and US warships are involved in Ocean Shield, but "other countries are thinking of coming to reinforce the operation which could evolve at any moment," Sbaccanti said."

(AFP via ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 8/19/09)

Incident: Cargo ship attacked

A general cargo ship, not otherwise identified, escapes attack by two skiffs launched from a mother ship in the Indian Ocean. The attack was made with automatic weapons and a rocket propelled grenade some 320 NM off Garacad. "Due to effective defense measures by the crew and unfavorable weather conditions, the vessel was
able to escape." (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 8/19/09)

Incident: Bulk carrier fired upon

A bulk carrier, not otherwise identified, is fired upon in the Gulf of Aden.

Five pirates armed with automatic guns and RPG in a speed boat fired upon a bulk carrier underway. Master took evasive manoeuvres to deter the pirates from boarding the ship. A coalition helicopter arrived at the scene after 40 minutes and the pirates moved way. One crew injured. The master was instructed to rendezvous with a coalition warship, which sent some troops and a doctor to treat the injured crew.

(ICC/IMB Website)

Note: this report could refer to the attack on the Elgiznur Cebi on the same date.

Incident: Elgiznur Cebi attacked

The Turkish ship Elgiznur Cebi is attacked in the Gulf of Aden by a speedboat with six men and a ladder aboard. A German helicopter from the warship Bremen fired upon the speedboat; the Greek warship Narvarinon boarded the speedboat and confiscated its ladder and weapons. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 8/19/09)

Elgiznur Cebi is a 190 m long cargo ship. (vesseltracker.com)

Incident: Captives overpower pirates

The crews of the hijacked Egyptian fishing vessels Mumtaz 1 and Samara Ahmed, taken 4/14/09, coordinate an attack on their pirate captors holding them in the port of Las Qorey. Using machetes and tools against their captors, they are able to disarm them, killing two, injuring an unknown number, and taking four prisoners without suffering casualties of their own. Both fishing ships were sailed to safety in Aden, Yemen, by their crews. ("August 2009 Egyptian hostage escape," Wikipedia, 12/31/09)

Incident: Turks detain suspected pirates

Five men are detained on a Turkish frigate after shadowing two commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden's maritime patrol zone. (SETimes.com, 08/12/09)

The Gaziantep used commandos and one or more helicopters to make the arrest. Pirate equipment was found aboard the skiff operated by the arrested men. (AFP, 08/11/09)

Incident: Hansa Stavanger released

The Hansa Stavanger, captured April 4th, is released by Somali pirates. The 24-man crew was described as being in good condition. (AP, 08/10/09) A $2.7 million ransom was paid to release the ship and crew. (Reuters, 08/03/09)

Incident: Buccanneer freed

The Italian tug Buccaneer and its crew of 16 is released after having been hijacked on April 11. A ransom of $2 million was reportedly paid. (Press TV, 08/11/09) One of the pirates involved said a ransom of $4 million was paid, however Italy's "Foreign Minister Franco Frattini and the ship’s owner denied a claim by the pirates that a ransom was paid." (Bloomberg, 08/10/09) Somalia's Governor Mohamed Said Nur of Sanag says no ransom was paid but that the pirates were reimbursed the cost of "sustain[ing] the 16-member crew" - $270,000. (AP, 08/11/09)

Incident: Vessel fired upon

A vessel in the Gulf of Aden, not otherwise identified, is fired upon by eight men armed with automatic weapons. The attackers fired from a blue, wooden boat 7-8 meters long. The attackers broke off the action when a military helicopter arrived at the scene. (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 8/19/09)

Incident: Bulk carrier fired upon

A bulk carrier, not otherwise identified, is fired upon in the Gulf of Aden by "Ten heavily armed pirates in two boats." "The pirates fail to board the vessel due to evasive action taken by the master. All the crew and the ship's properties are safe." (ICC/IMB Website)

Incident: YB Masindra 7 released

A Malaysian tugboat, TB Masindra 7, with its crew of 11 Indonesians, is released by pirates after being held for eight months and the payment of an unidentified ransom amount. The tug was pulling a barge in the Gulf of Aden when taken. (AFP, 08/02/09) The tug was hijacked on December 16. Masindra Shipping Sdn Bhd owns the vessel. "European Union Naval Force Atalanta spokesman, Commander John Harbour, told Reuters the tugboat was on its way to the Maldives. The freed tugboat is being escorted by German warship Brandenberg, on patrol for the EU as part of Operation Atlanta. " (Jakarta Post, 08/05/09)

Incident: Norwegian warship sails for Somalia

The Norwegian frigate Fridtjof Nansen has sailed for Somali waters where it will join the anti-pirate NATO Operation Atalanta for six months "On board is also a unit of the Norwegian Special Naval Force (MJK), equipped with high speed boats which will be used to intercept pirates attempting to board cargo ships in Somali waters." (ONI Worldwide Threat to Shipping, 8/19/09)