Russian Pacific Fleet warships dock at Vietnam port

19.06.2009 Source: en.rian.ru, photo by janes.com

A naval task force from Russia's Pacific Fleet docked in Vietnam on Friday on an official visit, a spokesman for the fleet said.

The task force, led by the Admiral Panteleyev destroyer, is heading back to base in Vladivostok after an anti-piracy mission in the Gulf of Aden. The Udaloy-class destroyer, accompanied by a salvage tugboat and two tankers, joined the international anti-piracy operations on April 27.

The spokesman said the warships docked at the port of Da Nang, and will remain there until June 23.

"The Russian sailors were ceremonially met by city administration officials, military garrison officials, as well as musicians and journalists," the spokesman said.

The commanding staff of the vessel is scheduled to meet with the Russian consul general in Da Nang, as well as high-ranking Vietnamese military officials.

During its tour of duty off the Somali coast, the Admiral Panteleyev escorted a total of 41 commercial vessels through the pirate-infested waters.

The destroyer in April seized a boat carrying 29 suspected pirates, believed to have been involved in the unsuccessful attack on a Russian-crewed oil tanker as it passed through the Gulf of Aden en route to Singapore.

The warship later prevented a pirate attack on a cargo vessel while escorting a convoy of six merchant ships through the Gulf of Aden.