National
Another Spanish trawler repels possible pirate attack in the Indian Ocean
By m.p. - Nov 19, 2009 - 1:53 PM
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The Txori Gorri - EFE archive
Security guards fired warning shots at a suspicious boat
The Defence Minister has confirmed that private guards employed by the Basque tuna fleet have thwarted a possible pirate attack on another Basque trawler fishing in the Indian Ocean. It came within less than two days of the release of the Alakrana and its 36 crew, freed on Tuesday after being held hostage by their pirate captors for 47 days.
Carme Chacón confirmed to journalists in the corridors of Congress that guards on board the ‘Txori Gorri’ employed the ‘necessary deterrence’ in an incident on Thursday morning, but declined to give any further details about what happened.
It’s understood from El País that the suspected pirate boat was spotted six miles from the trawler and sailed off, without attacking, after warning shots were fired from the Txori Gorri. The trawler is protected by four guards armed with military-type weapons and ammunition.
The families of the Alakrana’s eight Galician crew members are meanwhile en route to the Seychelles to be reunited with their relatives. They will return to Spain with the crew on board the same Spanish Air Force jet which is flying them out to the islands this Thursday. El Mundo said the families of 8 crew members from the Basque Country are remaining in Spain and have turned down the offer made by the Defence Ministry.
A relief crew of 14 sailors from Galicia, with a new captain, is also en route to the Seychelles to relieve the crew which is currently assigned to the Basque trawler.