On the morning of 12 November, east in the Gulf of Aden, two merchant vessels were attacked by pirates. There are no reports of casualties.
The first attack was on MV Full Strong, a Hong Kong flagged 721.8 ft long Bulk Carrier. MV Full Strong was approached by pirates in two skiffs and a mother skiff but managed to evade the attack. Shortly after this attack, in almost the same position, MV Fengli 8, a Panama flagged 738 ft Bulk Carrier was attacked in two fast attack skiffs and one mother skiff. The master and crew were alert and immediately activated anti piracy measures (according to MSCHOA Best Management Practices) and, with speed and evasive action, they were able to avoid being hijacked.
EU NAVFOR Norwegian warship HNOMS Fridtjof Nansen on counter piracy patrol in the Gulf of Aden has been tasked to search for the pirate attack group.
HNOMS Fridtjof Nansen takes part in the EU NAVFOR mission Operation ATALANTA. The main tasks of Operation ATALANTA are to escort merchant vessels carrying food of the World Food Program (WFP), the protection of vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy.