A Spanish navy ship participating in Operation Atalanta, commanded by Portuguese Commodore Rogerio Martins de Brito, is moving at full speed towards a commercial vessel that may have been hijacked by Somali pirates, the European Union’s fight against Somali pirates is reported. force on Friday, Reuters reported.
“Based on the first information available on the MV Ruen, the Spanish ship Victoria, the flagship of Operation EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, is rapidly moving towards the ship suspected of being hijacked by pirates in order to obtain more information and assess further action,” the EU force said. in a statement sent to Reuters.
Operation ATALANTA, a mission of the European Union, is once again led by a Portuguese Navy officer, staffed by several Portuguese soldiers.
He also adds that the EU force coordinates with the Joint Maritime Force, a larger international naval force that fights crimes such as drug trafficking, smuggling and the suppression of piracy, and exists to ensure security and stability on the high seas.
On Friday, British maritime watchdog UKMTO said it had received a report from a ship’s safety officer who believed the crew was no longer in control of the vessel headingin Somalia.