EU Naval Force Rescues Crew of Ship Attacked by Pirates off Somalia

A European Union naval force reached a Malta-flagged tanker earlier attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia, finding all 24 crew members safe after an assault that raised renewed fears about piracy in the region. The seizure of the Hellas Aphrodite, carrying gasoline from India to South Africa, ended as the ESPS Victoria approached the vessel. Special forces from the Spanish frigate boarded the tanker, releasing the crew members who had locked themselves inside the ship’s citadel during the attack. The EU’s Operation Atalanta, an anti-piracy coalition, confirmed the successful rescue operation. An early show of force by the Victoria prompted the pirates to flee the vessel. A helicopter, a drone, and another aircraft were also involved in the operation alongside the frigate.