Unknown to the public
at large, a major multi-National anti-piracy
operation took place off the East coast of our
neighbouring SADC countries during the past week.
South African Navy ship the SAS DRAKENSBERG played a
major role in this operation.
It all started off with
an unsuccessful pirate attack on a Filipino merchant
vessel last Friday at the Northern end of the
Mozambican Channel. At about the same time,
the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Dar Es
Salaam raised concern regarding the safety of a
South African owned yacht, the DANDELION, en route
from the French Island of Mayotte to the Mozambican
port of Pemba.
By Sunday, the
French Navy, who takes responsibility for this area
in terms of Search and Rescue, had requested the
SANDF to assist in search efforts.
The SAS DRAKENSBERG,
with anti-piracy assets onboard, was already
conducting patrol duties in the Mozambican Channel
at that time. This SANDF operation is part of
an inter-governmental agreement between South
Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania to safeguard SADC
sea lanes from piracy and has seen SA Navy ships
constantly deployed in that area for the past year.
The South African ship immediately commenced with a
search for the missing yacht with the assistance of
its embarked helicopter and a French Maritime Patrol
Aircraft.
During the Monday
morning, the French aircraft located the suspected
pirate mother ship off the Tanzanian coast and
moving in a Northerly direction.
The pirate mother ship,
with a skiff in tow, was identified as the Sri
Lankan fishing vessel NIMESHA DUWA which was
captured by pirates on 9 November last year.
At midday on
Monday, the South African yacht was located off
Pemba having been delayed after suffering technical
difficulties. The operation now changed from a
Search and Rescue mission to a piracy interdiction
operation. European naval units participating
in the anti-piracy Operation ATALANTA off the coast
of Somalia, the Tanzanian Navy out of Dar Es Salaam,
as well as the SAS DRAKENSBERG were being controlled
via three different Headquarters in a coordinated
multi-national operation.
By Monday afternoon,
the Tanzanian Navy had provided permission to the
SANDF to conduct anti-piracy operations within its
territorial waters and the hunt was on.
During the next 24
hours, an intensive search was conducted by the SAS
DRAKENSBERG and its SAAF helicopter along the
cluttered Tanzanian coast. European and Tanzanian
vessels were closing in from the North.
Unfortunately, poor weather conditions hampered the
search effort. However, the plan remained for
the SAS DRAKENSBERG to force the pirate vessels to
escape to the North into the waiting arms of the
Tanzanian and European Union forces.
By midday on Wednesday,
the concerted pressure of the search efforts had
forced the pirates to split up and the skiff with 5
suspected pirates were located on Songo Songo Island
and subsequently arrested by Tanzanian authorities.
Wednesday evening saw
units from four different countries closing in on
the estimated position of the pirate mother ship.
The Spanish warship got there first and managed to
capture the vessel by 20:30. Seven suspected
pirates were apprehended and the six long suffering
Sri Lankan crew members were finally freed.
The SAS DRAKENSBERG
spent Wednesday night in the area to assist
Tanzanian forces if so required. The suspected
pirates have by now all been handed over to the
Tanzanian authorities who will now start with the
legal minefield of prosecuting them for crimes
committed in International waters.
In the end, it seems
clear that a loud message has gone out that SANDF
forces, as part of SADC armed forces, will not allow
illegal activities within SADC waters It is
also clear that the Tripartite agreement between
South Africa, Mozambique and Tanzania, and the
subsequent deployment of SADC forces to safeguard
our sea lanes, is paying off dividends in ensuring
the safety of our seafarers and their precious
cargoes. To the sailors and air crew of the
SAS DRAKENSBERG, the operational planners of Chief
of Joint Operations and all others involved; we
salute your valiant efforts!
