Counter Piracy Ops

On Monday (3 January 2011) afternoon, the coalition headquarters coordinating maritime security and counter-piracy operations in the Middle East area and its surrounds, Combined Maritime Forces (CMF)was notified of a distress call from the merchant vessel CPO China, a UK flagged tanker, indicating that it was
under pirate attack whilst underway in the North Arabian Sea.

The ship reported taking fire from several skiffs. The ship's master mustered his 20 man crew in the ship's citadel, a secure compartment from where they could retain control of the ship.

Australian frigate HMAS Melbourne, currently serving with CMF's counter-piracy mission, Combined Task Force 151, was the nearest warship to CPO China and was immediately ordered to assist. Within a short few hours HMAS Melbourne's helicopter arrived in the vicinity of the CPO China and the warship established communications with the crew. Having been unable to take control of the merchant vessel, and with HMAS Melbourne on the scene, the pirates left the ship.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Counter
• Piracy
• Ops
• HMAS
• Melbourne