Somali 'pirate' killed by private guards

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

A suspected Somali pirate has been shot dead by private security guards after a failed attempt to seize a cargo ship travelling through the Gulf of Aden, it has emerged.

The incident, said to be the first of its kind, saw guards aboard the Panamanian-flagged cargo ship MV Almezaan exchange fire with two pirate skiffs in the early hours of Tuesday, 22 March. The skiffs are said to have fled the scene after two failed attempts to take the ship.

Six suspected pirates were later detained by the EU Naval Force, responding to a distress call from the Almezaan.

One pirate mothership and two skiffs were later found and scuttled by the crew of Navfor vessel the ESPS Navarra.

According to Navfor, an "armed private vessel protection detachment" aboard the MV Almezaan repelled two attempts to seize the ship before the pirates fled.

The ESPS Navarra launched a helicopter, which located the fleeing pirate vessels and fired warning shots when they refused to stop.

A team from the Navarra boarded the vessels, finding three suspected pirates in one skiff and three in the second, along with the body of a fourth man. An investigation on board the Navarra found that the man had died from small-calibre gunshot wounds.