Somali piracy alert NATO update
Repost of piracy activities Alert update 0700 UTC 10JAN11Vega 5 - 0148N 04558E is assessed as being used by pirates for piracy operations. 1626UTC 07JAN11Shiuh Fu No.1 - 1305S 05633E1045UTC 30DEC10 possibly heading back to the anchorage off Somalia. No current update.Gulf of Aden/Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC). The monsoon is not effecting small boat operation in the GoA and skiffs blending in the local traffic to conduct piracy can be expected at any time. On Sunday, 02 January, a suspicious skiff was reported operating in the central IRTC. The skiff was subsequently disrupted and is almost certainly pirate-related activity confirming the threat of piracy without or little warning.Arabian Sea/Greater Somali Basin. The weather in the rest of the Arabian Sea, as well as in both the northern and southern Somali Basin, remains favourable for small boat operations and hence pirate operations in areas are not greatly affected by the monsoon. Although sea states are higher along the eastern coast of Somalia the monsoon has not greatly affected the deeper basin.The number of pirated fishing vessels and dhows conducting piracy operations is assessed to be at least five mother ship pirate attack groups (or PAGs) underway in the Arabian Sea ...
Read more