Sailors of Dutch frigate will see Xmas together with pirates

22.12.2009
The crew of RNN frigate got stuck in the Gulf of Aden with 13 Somali pirates on board few days before Christmas. No country wants to take care of the criminals, reports Radio Netherlands Worldwide.

RNN frigate Evertsen copped pirates on Dec 2; its four-month antipiracy watch under EU Operation Atalanta was finished on Sunday. Italian vessel has come to shift the Dutch one, although Evertsen will not return home while there are pirates aboard.

This case roused political quarters of Netherlands.

For instance, leader of Dutch ultra-right "Party of Freedom" Geert Weilders declared pirates hold the crew hostages.

Dutch defense minister Eimert van Middelkoop expressed regret about occurred case and noted that another burden had come upon sailors of Evertsen who would not see Christmas in the bosom of their families.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Verhagen added that European Union should detach another warship for taking captured pirates to eliminate "unsatisfactory circumstances". Normally, pirate trials are held in Kenya but this time Nairobi refuses to admit 13 arrested pirates.

According to Verhagen, EU has already reacted on Holland's requests and appealed to Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt as Sweden presently chairs the EU Council.

Dutch authorities offer to establish a special regional court; however, this idea has not obtained international political support. Judicial capacity at Somalia region should be increased, considers the minister.

On Dec 15 lower chamber of Netherlands parliament voted for prolongation of the country's presence in Atalanta mission on 6 months.

Since Dec 2008 till Dec 2009 EU NAVFOR antipiracy force is conducting Operation Atalanta at the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and some regions of Indian Ocean; up to 12 EU ships and naval aviation are simultaneously on watch. Naval units of Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Belgium, Greece and Sweden are currently taking part in Atalanta. The personnel are authorized to search, arrest and extradite pirates to judicial authorities of Kenya or some other EU member countries.

Source: RusNavy.com, photo: affectionate farewell of Evertsen's crewmember and his girlfriend