Hijacked M/V Asian Glory uplifts pirates from Hijacked Dhow Faize Osami

February 1, 2010, published by EU NAVFOR Public Affairs Office

The hijacked M/V Asian Glory put to sea on Friday 29 January from the Somali coast and headed south to rendezvous with suspected pirate groups in the Indian Ocean. On Saturday 30 January, she headed north and eventually made a rendezvous with the hijacked Dhow Faize Osami.

The Faize Osami was last reported leaving Karachi, bound for Mogadishu with a cargo of rice, on 28 November 2009. The ship’s Master, an all crew Indian crew of 14, reported to the owner that the ship had been hijacked on 14 January 2010 off Kismayo on the Somali coast. The pirated Faize Osami was spotted by EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) approximately 150 nautical miles North East of Socotra, off the Horn of Africa and appeared to be dead in the water.

At the rendezvous position, the Asian Glory remained close by until the pirates from the Faize Osami transferred to Asian Glory after which she got under way and headed for the Somali coast. Whilst EU NAVFOR MPA monitored the situation, a coalition force ship, HDMS Absolon of NATO TF 508 came to the assistance of the Faize Osami and rendered medical and engineering assistance. After some small repairs and minor medical attention, the Faize Osami proceeded on her voyage.

Asian Glory has arrived at the Somali coast once more and is thought to be anchored off the port of Garacad, north of Hobyo.

EUNAVFOR SOMALIA Operation ATALANTA main tasks are to escort merchant vessels carrying humanitarian aid of the ‘World Food Program’ (WFP), to protect vulnerable ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and to deter and disrupt piracy.

European Union Naval Force Somalia