Currently, the frigate is heading towards the location where the ship suspected of piracy was sighted. This marks the second incident in recent weeks involving the Spanish vessel. Previously, it intercepted another Iranian-flagged fishing vessel assaulted by criminals in the same area.
Spain's participation in the EU-led mission, EUNAVFOR Atalanta, aims to safeguard maritime security. The mission's social media account reported the recent episode, stating, "Based on preliminary information, the Spanish-flagged vessel Victoria is swiftly advancing towards the presumed pirate-seized ship to gather further intel and evaluate subsequent actions, in coordination with the Bahraini Navy."
The Rota Naval Base Operations Center in Spain received an alert on Thursday regarding the alleged hijacking of the Maltese-flagged merchant ship "RUEN," approximately 500 nautical miles east of Socotra Island in the northwestern Indian Ocean.
Bulgaria's government later confirmed the ship's identity, indicating it has 18 crew members from Bulgaria, Myanmar, and Angola. The vessel belongs to Bulgaria's state-owned company, Navibulgar. However, the identity of the group behind the ship's seizure—whether pirates or Houthi rebels, a militia linked to Iran controlling Yemen's west coast—remains uncertain. Foreign Ministry sources informed EFE news agency that communication with the abducted crew is impossible due to disconnected satellite phones.
EUNAVFOR closely monitors and assesses the situation alongside maritime security partners and combined maritime forces. The frigate speeds toward the area for enhanced intel gathering and evaluating further actions in coordination with security partners.
This incident is the Victoria's second engagement since joining the mission on September 22. Previously, it intervened in tracking the Iranian fishing vessel Al-Meraj 1 on suspicion of piracy, enabling Somali police forces to act against suspects and liberate the fishing crew unharmed, as confirmed by Atalanta's commander, Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano.
The mission, operational for fifteen years, protects merchant vessels, including those from the World Food Programme, navigating areas prone to pirate attacks in Somalia, Kenya, or Sudan.
EUNAVFOR continues to monitor recent piracy-related events in the Operational Area, the Northwestern Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea, urging registration at the Maritime Security Centre - Horn of Africa Voluntary Reporting Portal for a more effective response in collaboration with ATALANTA, Armed Forces, and security partners. Although the operation has stabilized the situation, recent incidents highlight the persistent threat.
Bulgarian officials emphasize the lack of identification of attackers and emphasize the need for discretion in negotiations. Navibulgar assured that there's no immediate threat to the crew and has contacted their families. Captain Dimitar Dimitrov, President of the European Confederation of Maritime Captains' Associations, hinted at a possible piracy attack due to the scarcity of information, emphasizing the necessity of discreet negotiations for resolutions.
Spain's participation in the EU-led mission, EUNAVFOR Atalanta, aims to safeguard maritime security. The mission's social media account reported the recent episode, stating, "Based on preliminary information, the Spanish-flagged vessel Victoria is swiftly advancing towards the presumed pirate-seized ship to gather further intel and evaluate subsequent actions, in coordination with the Bahraini Navy."
The Rota Naval Base Operations Center in Spain received an alert on Thursday regarding the alleged hijacking of the Maltese-flagged merchant ship "RUEN," approximately 500 nautical miles east of Socotra Island in the northwestern Indian Ocean.
Bulgaria's government later confirmed the ship's identity, indicating it has 18 crew members from Bulgaria, Myanmar, and Angola. The vessel belongs to Bulgaria's state-owned company, Navibulgar. However, the identity of the group behind the ship's seizure—whether pirates or Houthi rebels, a militia linked to Iran controlling Yemen's west coast—remains uncertain. Foreign Ministry sources informed EFE news agency that communication with the abducted crew is impossible due to disconnected satellite phones.
EUNAVFOR closely monitors and assesses the situation alongside maritime security partners and combined maritime forces. The frigate speeds toward the area for enhanced intel gathering and evaluating further actions in coordination with security partners.
This incident is the Victoria's second engagement since joining the mission on September 22. Previously, it intervened in tracking the Iranian fishing vessel Al-Meraj 1 on suspicion of piracy, enabling Somali police forces to act against suspects and liberate the fishing crew unharmed, as confirmed by Atalanta's commander, Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano.
The mission, operational for fifteen years, protects merchant vessels, including those from the World Food Programme, navigating areas prone to pirate attacks in Somalia, Kenya, or Sudan.
EUNAVFOR continues to monitor recent piracy-related events in the Operational Area, the Northwestern Indian Ocean, and the Red Sea, urging registration at the Maritime Security Centre - Horn of Africa Voluntary Reporting Portal for a more effective response in collaboration with ATALANTA, Armed Forces, and security partners. Although the operation has stabilized the situation, recent incidents highlight the persistent threat.
Bulgarian officials emphasize the lack of identification of attackers and emphasize the need for discretion in negotiations. Navibulgar assured that there's no immediate threat to the crew and has contacted their families. Captain Dimitar Dimitrov, President of the European Confederation of Maritime Captains' Associations, hinted at a possible piracy attack due to the scarcity of information, emphasizing the necessity of discreet negotiations for resolutions.
