Wednesday, September 17, 2008
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Madrid (DPA) - Spain is sending a maritime patrol aircraft with 90 soldiers on board to ward off pirates operating off Somalia, Defence Minister Carme Chacon said Wednesday. The P3-Orion plane was due to reach the Indian Ocean over the week- end. It will inform fishing vessels, freighters and ships transporting humanitarian aid about the movements of pirates, Chacon said.
The plane will initially be deployed for three months, but could stay on in the framework of an eventual international mission.
Chacon announced the decision six days after a Spanish tuna vessel managed to escape from pirates trying to seize it off the Horn of Africa country.
In April, the 26 crew of the Spanish fishing vessel Playa de Bakio were released after being held for six days. The government has not confirmed reports that the pirates were paid a ransom of 1.2 million dollars (770,000 euros).
The European Union recently approved plans for a possible naval mission to the Horn of Africa to crack down on pirates.
Source: DPA, Sept 17, 2008