Germany, Sweden to boost EU anti-piracy mission
(MADRID) - Germany and Sweden will soon boost their contributions to the European Union's anti-piracy operation off the coast of Somalia, the Spanish captain of the mission said Wednesday.
"Three Swedish navy warships and a German navy patrol airplane will shortly reinforce the existing European force made up of eight ships and two planes," Captain Juan Garat Carame said in a Spanish defence ministry statement.
The EU anti-piracy mission Atalante, its first-ever naval operation, began operations off the coast of Somalia in December 2008 in an effort to stop attacks in the Gulf of Aden, one of the world's busiest trade routes.
Spain took over the command of the mission from Britain earlier this year.
Last month the EU's foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, said the bloc may extend the mission beyond its December 2009 completion date.
In addition to the EU force, the United States, Russia, India, Turkey, China and others have deployed warships to protect international shipping. The pirates appear undaunted, however, and have even stepped up attacks.
Ransom-hunting Somali pirates attacked more than 130 merchant ships in the region last year, an increase of more than 200 percent on 2007, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
They currently hold at least 18 ships and close to 300 seamen to ransom.
Text and Picture Copyright 2009 AFP. All other Copyright 2009 EUbusiness Ltd. All rights reserved. This material is intended solely for personal use. Any other reproduction, publication or redistribution of this material without the written agreement of the copyright owner is strictly forbidden and any breach of copyright will be considered actionable.
