World

Dutch Navy raid pirate 'main' ship & release 20 captive

by mudricky | April 18, 2009 at 03:40 am

463 views | 72 Recommendations | 6 comments

Reports are breaking within all the media ranks that the Dutch navy have attacked the 'main' ship used by the pirates who have been attacking commercial vessels.

They captured 7 pirates but under Dutch law and they way they were arrested they had to release them, but were able to free 20 captives who were Yemeni fishermen.

The attack by Dutch forces came about as the Somali pirates tried to attack a Greek tanker, and the Dutch intervened after they were alerted by distres calls and saw the pirate ship escaping.

The Dutch are working in the area as part of Nato.

Dutch commandos on a Nato warship captured seven pirates who attacked a tanker in the Gulf of Aden - but had to release them for legal reasons.

However, Lt-Capt Fernandes said the pirates were set free because under Dutch law they could not be held at sea under the circumstances in which they were captured.

He told Sky News the pirates had been armed with rifles and rocket-launchers.

ON BOARD CORTE-REAL, April 18 (Reuters) - Dutch commandos freed 20 people on Saturday who had been forced to sail a pirate "mother ship" attacking commercial vessels in the Gulf of Aden, NATO officials said.

NATO Lieutenant Commander Alexandre Fernandes told Reuters the hostages were freed after Dutch forces captured seven pirates who attacked a Greek-mananged tanker with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades.

0 See all footage | View Slideshow

Share: email story | add to any | | facebook | stumbleupon

recommend This comment thread is now closed

israeli.agent

at 06:02 on April 18th, 2009

"However, Lt-Capt Fernandes said the pirates were set free because under Dutch law they could not be held at sea under the circumstances in which they were captured."

Nice law.

.Agent.