Danish Frigate Kills Four Pirates in First Gulf of Guinea Engagement

PUBLISHED NOV 25, 2021 11:27 AM BY THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE

Less than a month after beginning its patrols in the Gulf of Guinea, the Danish frigate Esbern Snare killed four suspected pirates and took four others into custody. The incident, which is the first involving the newly arrived international presence in the region, is being widely hailed as a potential turning point in the regional fight against piracy.

Forsvaret, Denmark’s defense ministry, reports that on Wednesday, November 24, the Esbern Snare, which had been sailing to Tema, Ghana, responded to reports of increased risk in the area dispatching its helicopter for surveillance. The crew of the helicopter reportedly that afternoon found “a fast-moving motorboat with eight suspicious men on board in an area with a number of merchant ships.” On board the boat, the helicopter crew could see a number of the tools associated with piracy, including ladders.

During the evening, Esbern Snare was close enough to launch a fast-moving boat with its detachment from the frogman corps with orders to board the suspected pirate boat. The ministry reports that the Esbern Snare called the pirates to bring them to a halt so that the Danish soldiers could get on board. When the pirates did not react, the Danish forces fired warning shots and the pirates then opened fire on the Danish soldiers.

A brief firefight ensued with the Danish soldiers acting in self-defense responding to the fire from the pirates. No Danish soldiers were injured, but five pirates were hit before the gun battle ceased. The Danes then boarded the pirate vessel finding that four have been killed, one was wounded, and the remaining three surrendered.

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