Following hot on the heels of EU NAVFOR French ship Tonnerre’s success, who earlier on May 1, tracked down and destroyed a mother ship, EU NAVFOR FS La Fayette destroyed another mother ship and held another nine suspected pirates for questioning.
A helicopter from the La Fayette spotted a pirate action group (PAG), with one mother ship and one skiff, in the Indian Ocean, between Mogadishu and the Seychelles. When detected, the suspected pirates tried to escape and threw paraphernalia over board. The helicopter fired warning shots and the mother ship finally stopped.
La Fayette then did an unopposed boarding and found evidence to show the intention of the suspects to commit piracy. Nine individuals were held for further investigation and the mother ship was destroyed. The skiff was taken onboard La Fayette, as evidence.
This is the second successful disruption on the same day which continues to show EU NAVFOR’s more offensive strategy is working. The joint action by EU NAVFOR’s French warships Tonnerre and La Fayette and Maritime Patrol Aircraft from the Seychelles was evidence of excellent teamwork and a determination to fight these criminal acts.