Captured pirates to face trial in Japan

Pirates captured in a commando raid on a hijacked Japanese oil tanker last Sunday will be transferred to Tokyo in order to face trial. It will be the first time Japan makes use of a 2009 anti-piracy law.

Last Saturday the 57 400 ton tanker MV Guanabara was attacked in the Indian Ocean roughly 400 nautical miles east of Oman, AFP reports. The tanker was heading from the Ukraine to China when it was boarded by pirates, but the crew reportedly managed to hide in a ‘citadel’ or safe room. They issued a distress call on Saturday afternoon, causing ships from the Combined Maritime Force (CMF) anti-piracy effort to sail to their location.

USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) frees Japanese merchant ship from pirate control

MANAMA, Bahrain – A request for assistance from a Japanese-owned merchant vessel in the Somali Basin led to Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) warship USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) securing the release of the vessel and its 24 crew members from four suspected pirates, Mar. 6.

At approximately 3.00pm local time, Mar. 5, the oil tanker MV Guanabara reported it was under attack when it was 328 nautical miles south east of Duqm, Oman. Bulkeley, assigned to CMF’s counter-piracy mission Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 was directed to intercept Guanabara, supported by the Turkish warship TCG Giresun of NATO’s counter-piracy Task Force 508.