Rotation of RN warships near Horn of Africa to be completed late Jan

18.01.2010 Source: RIA Novosti, photo: Admiral Chabanenko (royalnavy.mod.uk)

Baltic Fleet's (BF) frigate Neustrashimy will shift large ASW ship (LAS) Admiral Chabanenko near Horn of Africa late January, informs RIA Novosti citing official representative of Russian Navy.

"Within two days – in Jan 24-25 – LAS Admiral Chabanenko will handover the functions of navigation security to frigate Neustrashimy", said the Navy spokesman.

According to him, the frigate has successfully passed Suez Canal and is currently heading for the certain point to contact LAS Admiral Chabanenko.

"Navy command plans to maintain permanent presence of warships at the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa with a view to secure navigation of civil vessels at piracy hazardous regions", underlined the interviewee.

Presently, LAS Admiral Chabanenko started an official call at the port of Salala (Oman) for the sake of crew's rest, added the spokesman.

Last Wednesday auxiliary vessel Lena has also visited the port of Salala; Lena is attached to Russian task unit providing navigation security off Horn of Africa. "Lena has sailed off the port and continued performing tasks", said the interviewee.

LAS Admiral Chabanenko escorted subsequent convoy of civil vessels through the Gulf of Aden last Monday. Liberian-flagged ship Free Neptun, Gibraltar-flagged vessel Dollart and Vietnamese-flagged ship Vinaship were screened by the Russian warship. The vessel Dollart had 4 Russian sailors on board.