13.07.2009
Source:
A third task force from Russia's Pacific Fleet will arrive in late July in the Gulf of Aden to ensure security in the pirate-infested waters, a Navy official said on Wednesday.
He said the new task force, comprising the
Admiral Tributs destroyer with two helicopters, a salvage tug, a tanker, and a naval infantry unit, had left the fleet base in Vladivostok on June 29 and was currently crossing the South China Sea.
Somalia has been without an effective government since the Revolutionary Socialist Party was overthrown in 1991. The internationally recognized federal government controls only the capital city of Mogadishu and part of central Somalia, and cannot effectively fight sea piracy in the region.
According to the United Nations, Somali pirates collected $150 million in ransom payments from ship owners last year, while overall losses from piracy were estimated at $13-16 billion, including the soaring cost of insurance and protection for vessels, as well as sending ships on longer routes to avoid high-risk areas.
The Russian Navy joined international anti-piracy efforts off Somali coast in October 2008. Three warships have so far participated in the mission - the Baltic Fleet's
Neustrashimy (Fearless) frigate, and the Pacific Fleet's
Admiral Vinogradov and
Admiral Panteleyev destroyers.
Around 35 warships from the navies of 16 countries are currently deployed off Somalia's coast to counter frequent pirate attacks on vital commercial lanes. According to the United Nations, Somali pirates carried out at least 120 attacks on ships in 2008 alone.
