EU/Somalia

EU launches anti-piracy operation as pirates increase territorial waters

Article published on the 2008-12-08 Latest update 2008-12-08 13:14 TU

Pirates on speedboat approach one of their mother boats docked near Eyl, Somalia.
(Photo: Reuters)

As the European Union officially launched an operation on Monday in the Gulf of Aden against the growing problem of piracy, Somali pirates have been moving further south along the African coast. British Admiral Philip Jones is in charge of six European warships, taking over from Nato vessels currently patrolling the Gulf.

British Admiral Philip Jones is in the charge of the EU's first ever naval operation, codenamed Eunavfor Atalanta. It includes warships from Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Greece, the Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.

But it will to take time to deploy the vessels, and it could be a month before the forces will have any real impact.

Some believe the EU's efforts are inadequate.

"You would need at least 100 naval ships in the area to make a decisive impact but this is impossible," Jean Duval of French maritime security firm Secopex, told the AFP news agency.

The pirates are already extending the area in which they operate. A Dutch ship was attacked about 830 kilometres east of Tanzania's capital Dar Es Salaam on Saturday.

Pirates have been setting their sights on higher-profile targets and moving further east and south.

“The pirates are expanding their base of operations and operational area," said Noel Choong, from the International Maritime Bureau in Kuala Lumpur.

Their loot includes the Saudi supertanker, the Sirius Star, worth more than 77 million euros, and a Ukrainian ship carrying a shipment of tanks. Both vessels are still under pirate control while ransoms are negotiated.

While it will take time for the Eunavfor Atalanta armada to get into position, the EU is reviewing agreements whereby pirate suspects could be handed over to other countries, like Kenya, for trial.

"Suspects could be taken by third countries that are willing and in a position to launch criminal proceedings," German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told German media.

But some EU states do not have piracy laws anymore. France, which currently holds the EU Presidency removed piracy laws from its penal code in October 2007 and will now have to reintroduce them.

The pirates claimed they have turned to violence because French and Spanish tuna fleets have clared out local fish stocks, leaving them with no way to make a living. There have been at least 80 pirate attacks reported in the last three months.