A Spanish SEA HARRIER overflies SPS PATINO. NATO photo by Jens Grypstrom, RNN

Update 1-14-2012: Six pirates were detained, all with injuries. Two of the six will require additional medical treatment. A report that a seventh pirate was killed in the firefight and tossed overboard by his mates has not been confirmed.

About 3:30 a.m. local time on January 12, a skiff with six pirates on board opened fire on the SPS Patino. The Spanish auxiliary oiler and replenishment ship, the SPS Patino, is currently the Flagship of the European Union Naval Force Somalia. It carries Spanish Marines and helicopters, as well as housing the command staff for the EUNavFor. The ship resembles a merchant vessel in many respects and the pirates may not have realized in the darkness that it was not a civilian ship.

The press release from the Ministry of Defense reports that the gunfire was returned by Patino. The skiff fled and was pursued by a helicopter. The crew of the helicopter observed several weapons on board the skiff. When hailed, the crew of the skiff surrendered. The Spanish have five pirates in custody. One additional pirate was killed in the action and tossed overboard by his crewmates. No injuries were sustained by Spanish personnel.

Press release in Spanish

The SPS Patino escorted a convoy of three merchant ships to Somalia in mid December, carrying humanitarian assistance. The ships were under charter to the World Food Program. This was a first for Patino, and unusual in that three ships were involved. Normally only one civilian vessel is escorted at a time.

USS Peleliu and embarked 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (15th MEU) stopped a pirate attack of a civilian merchant vessel Aug. 8 approximately 80 miles north of Somalia while conducting Maritime Security Operations.

Under the direction of Combined Task Force 51, Peleliu responded to a call for help from the merchant vessel Gem of Kilakarai at approximately 7 a.m. when the ship reported it was under attack from armed pirates in two small boats with weapons and rifle-launched grenades.
Operating approximately 10 miles away from the merchant vessel when the distress call was received, Peleliu altered her course to intercept the suspected pirate vessels and launched three helicopters.

The two suspected pirate vessels then fled the scene.

Gem of Kilakarai reported one grenade landed on the ship’s bridge wing during the attack, but failed to detonate. No injuries were reported.

Explosive ordnance personnel from the 15th MEU are currently assisting the Gem of Kilakarai in an effort to defuse the unexploded grenade. The merchant vessel was reportedly traveling towards the Suez Canal when the attack took place in the Gulf of Aden.

Peleliu is the flag ship of the Peleliu Strike Group and the 15th MEU which is currently deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to conduct MSO. MSO help develop security in the maritime environment, which promotes stability and global prosperity. These operations complement the counterterrorism and security efforts of regional nations and seek to disrupt violent extremists’ use of the maritime environment as a venue for attack or to transport personnel, weapons or other material.

DVIDS