On Saturday, 20 October 2012, the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) German frigate FGS Sachsen located a suspicious dhow and detained seven suspected pirates.
The German frigate was tasked on Friday, 19 October 2012, to locate an Iranian dhow as reports indicated the vessel to be in the hand of pirates.
On Saturday, FGS Sachsen located the dhow and established contact with the master of the dhow. He reported his crew is threatened by seven suspected pirates and that he has been beaten. A boarding team detained the seven suspects and confiscated several assault rifles AK47 as well as a Rocket Propelled Grenade launcher (RPG).
This action denied the suspected pirates the use of the dhow as a potential mother ship and saved 20 Iranian sailors from what could be a prolonged captivity.
The 7 suspects have been transferred to FGS Sachsen and an investigation is ongoing.
[mappress] Naval Today Staff, October 22, 2012; Image: EU Navfor