Coast guard all set for patrols to deter pirates
03.09.2009
The Seychelles Coast Guard (SCG) said yesterday it is ready to start regular anti-piracy patrols in our waters with its boats and aircraft, helped by foreign forces.
The local media were briefed during a visit to the SCG base for a presentation on the new patrol strategy, followed by a tour of one of the patrol ships and an at-sea demonstration of the coast guard’s abilities.
The event was also being covered by the French TV channel France2.
The briefing started at the SCG’s joint rescue coordination centre, where Major Leslie Benoiton gave a general idea of the piracy situation in the Indian Ocean.
“We have had 140 approaches by possible pirate vessels to ships passing through in the Gulf of Aden, Horn of Africa and Somali basin,” he said.
“At least 39 resulted in successful attacks, with vessels captured and taken to anchorages off Eyl and Hobyo to be ransomed, with the last successful attack taking place just 60 nautical miles west off Alphonse island in the Amirantes.”
He added that the overall aim of the mission is to provide safe passage to vessels, allow safe conduct of economic activities and stop piracy in our waters by using deterrent means rather than being an aggressive force.
Captain Jean Attala, who is part of the SCG team overseeing the patrols, said that as the south-east monsoon period ends, the calmer waters and better weather conditions could mean pirate activity will start up again in Seychelles’ waters.
So the SCG will deploy the newly returned patrol ship Topaz, as well as the Andromache and a Twin Otter plane, to start regular patrols in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), with particular attention to certain vulnerable areas.
“Based on data received, as well as improving weather conditions at sea, we are expecting that pirate activity can possibly resume and we are prepared to patrol and defend our waters, along with aid from our international partners,” said Captain Attala.
“Working in close collaboration with our foreign partners, we have given more training to our own officers and are now more ready than ever to patrol and protect our EEZ.”
The first patrol period, which will begin this month, will be for three months after which the strategy will be revised. The two boats will alternate patrols, with each staying out 24 hours a day for seven to nine days at a time.
The media staff were also given a tour of the Topaz, after which they were taken out to sea for a demonstration of anti-piracy patrol work and surveillance procedures.
They were shown some of the equipment used to detect possible pirate boats in the vicinity, the different types of guns mounted on the boat and other equipment crucial in maritime patrols.
This will be the Topaz’s first anti-piracy action since it arrived back in the country following a six-month extensive overhaul and refit in the naval dockyard at Visakhapatnam, India.