BNS Louise Marie continues with her counter-piracy patrols
On 15 December Swedish EU NAVFOR maritime patrol aircraft located a suspicious skiff with five suspect pirates on board. Belgium frigate BNS Louise-Marie was tasked to conduct a surface search of the sea area, and within 3 hours the warship’s helicopter was able to overfly the vessel. Upon arrival at the scene, the warship’s boarding team was deployed to apprehend the five suspect pirates, who, having been out at sea and drifting for some time, were suffering from severe dehydration and malnutrition and it was assessed that the men would have died if the warship’s crew had not intervened.