HMAS 'Toowoomba' has successfully thwarted a piracy attack by answering a call for assistance and conducting a boarding of a suspect vessel off the coast of Yemen in the Gulf of Aden.
'Toowoomba' responded to an emergency radio call from the cargo vessel 'BBC Portugal' on September 20, which reported sighting a boat carrying a group of armed individuals closing at high speed. Under Commander Ivan Ingham, 'Toowoomba' immediately investigated the situation.
While 'Toowoomba' closed in, a P3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft and a naval helicopter from another warship provided surveillance of the suspect vessel.
According to Commander Ingham, the helicopter crew confirmed sighting weapons and also reported that the crew of the suspect vessel was seen disposing of several items including a ladder as the helicopter arrived at the scene.
On reaching the suspect vessel, 'Toowoomba' launched her boarding team to investigate, search, disarm and seize.
The search of the suspect vessel revealed a cache of weapons including a rocket propelled grenade launcher (RPG), six AK47 assault rifles, a G3 assault rifle and a large quantity of ammunition.
"The quick response ensured that the incident did not escalate into a direct attack on the merchant vessel. The ship's presence in very close proximity to the scene ensured that the persons suspected of planning acts of piracy were not able to evade the 'Toowoomba' boarding party," Commander Ingham said.
Routine questioning of the persons suspected of planning acts of piracy by 'Toowoomba's' boarding party confirmed that the occupants of the suspect vessel were from nearby Somalia. The occupants denied their intention to attack the merchant vessel and denied planning piracy activities.
Despite the weapons cache and their presence in the International Recommended Transit Corridor, the suspected vessel and crew were directed home once the threat had been averted.
"It is Australian Government policy to deter, warn, intercept and disarm those vessels and persons suspected of engaging in acts of piracy.
"This approach provides an effective measure to reduce an immediate threat posed by these types of groups operating in the area. This policy is also in keeping with the practice of our coalition partners and other navies operating against piracy in the region," Commander Ingham said.
There were no casualties as a result of the operation and HMAS 'Toowoomba' is now continuing with counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden region.