EU navy taskforce rescues 68 off Somalia
10 September 2012, 11:27 CET
(BRUSSELS) - A Spanish warship on anti-piracy patrol off the Somali coast has rescued 68 people found drifting in a small boat in the Gulf of Aden, the EU navy task force said Monday.
The ESPS Relampago, part of the EU's Operation Atalanta fighting piracy off the Somali coast, picked up the 68 on Saturday some 100 nautical miles (185 kilometres) out at sea after deciding their boat was unsafe.
They were towed to Boosasso port, in north Somalia, a statement said, without giving any details about those on board or what they were doing.
The area is notorious for pirate attacks but the presence of several navy task forces has seen such incidents fall sharply this year.