SAF TASK GROUP FOILS PIRATE ATTACKS IN ARABIAN SEA

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) task group, comprising Landing Ship Tank (LST) RSS Endeavour and two Super Puma helicopters, disrupted two separate attacks by suspected pirates on merchant vessels that were transiting through the Arabian Sea, south of Oman, on 1 Nov.

The SAF task group is operating under the Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) counter-piracy mission Combined Task Force (CTF) 151.

The LST was patrolling east of the Internationally Recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC) in the Arabian Sea, when it responded to a call which the CTF 151 flagship USS Anzio had received from merchant vessel MV BW Broker, that it was being chased by a suspicious skiff. The skiff had a ladder on its side, indicating a possible intent to board and attack the vessel.

RSS Endeavour immediately launched one of the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF's) helicopters on board to investigate the skiff, while it proceeded to the location of the merchant vessel. The suspicious skiff was unable to board the vessel and broke off the attack.

Less than two hours later, RSS Endeavour was contacted by another merchant ship, MV Elka Athina, in the vicinity. The vessel was being approached at high speed by a skiff with five people carrying weapons. RSS Endeavour launched a helicopter again to investigate. By the time the helicopter arrived, the skiff had broken off its attack.

The LST remained in the vicinity to survey the area. The helicopter later located the suspicious pirate skiff which was heading towards the dhow, Shu'ai 3. CTF 151 had previously identified Shu'ai 3 as a pirate mothership associated with other attempted piracy activities.

The helicopter continued to shadow the skiff as RSS Endeavour closed in on both the skiff and the dhow. The suspected pirates aboard the skiff surrendered. As the helicopter approached the mothership dhow, a large bag, suspected of containing pirate paraphernalia, was thrown overboard from the pirate dhow.

The suspected pirates complied with orders to board the dhow which was to return to Somalia, while their skiff would be destroyed so that it could not be used further for piracy activities. When the men were aboard the dhow, the RSAF helicopter was directed to fire at the abandoned skiff to sink it.

Commenting on the successful disruption of the two attempted pirate attacks, Commander CTF 151 Rear Admiral Kaleem Shaukat, from the Pakistan Navy, said: "The goal of Combined Task Force 151 is to prevent and disrupt acts of piracy on the high seas. This morning's disruptions by RSS Endeavour were an excellent fulfilment of that goal.

"I commend the Commanding Officer and crew of RSS ENDEAVOUR on a job well done and also thank CMF and the other naval forces in the area that cooperated in this successful disruption. Thanks to all of these combined efforts this morning, two merchant vessels were able to continue transiting safely to their destinations."

CTF 151 is one of three task forces operating under the United States-led CMF, a 25-nation coalition. CTF 151's counter-piracy operations focus on the Gulf of Aden, Southern Red Sea, Arabian Sea and Somali basin, an area covering 2.5 million square miles.