Press
Pirate attack off East Africa. The German freighter “Basilik” was hijacked. An EU warship was able to intervene quickly and free the crew.
Hamburg – Pirates have hijacked a Hamburg freighter off the East African country of Somalia. The incident occurred according to the EU-Naval Operation Atalanta on Thursday evening in the Indian Ocean, about 700 kilometers (380 nautical miles) east of the Somali capital Mogadishu.
Pirates hijack Hamburg freighter off Somalia: EU warship intervenes – crew safe
A warship patrolling nearby rushed to help and freed the multipurpose freighter “Basilisk”, which sails under the Liberian flag. Marines rappelled from a helicopter onto the freighter and an inflatable boat was deployed.
![The German freighter “Basilik” was freed: a crew member was injured in the pirate attack.](https://www.merkur.de/assets/images/34/655/34655716-der-deutsche-frachter-basilik-wurde-befreit-ein-crewmitglied-wurde-beim-angriff-der-piraten-verletzt-1Jtp1G45X8BG.jpg)
The 17 crew members are safe, said Atalanta’s operations command in Rota, Spain. One crew member was injured in the attack but is in a stable condition.
Pirate attack also hits German cargo ship: Dangerous sea area is strictly monitored
The approximately 160-meter-long cargo ship belongs to the Hamburg-based Minship shipping company. According to Atalanta’s command, it was traveling north at the time of the attack.
Pirate attacks are a frequent occurrence in this sea area. A multinational EU naval mission has been patrolling there since 2008 to secure the important shipping route. In January, for example, India sent a powerful warship to rescue a freighter. Naval Operation Atlanta recommends that shipping companies register their merchant ships in the voluntary registration system “Maritime Home Security”. This offers effective monitoring and enables a rapid response to threats. With special weapons The German frigate “Hamburg” patrols the Red Sea. (moe/dpa)
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