EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta (Eunavor Atalanta) handed over to the Seychelles the six alleged pirates who will stand trial there for their attack on a tanker in the Gulf of Aden last week.
The suspects, allegedly from Somalia, were involved in the piracy attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged merchant vessel, Chrystal Arctic, on 10 May.
Eunavor Atalanta said in a statement that members of the operation, who arrested the pirates at the scene, had handed over the suspects in terms of the framework of the legal agreement the EU had with Seychelles.
“Prior to the delivery, a commission composed of the Minister of Internal Affairs, a representative of the National Information Sharing Coordination Centre and members of the Seychellois Police Department, together with three representatives of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), boarded the Atalanta frigate,” said Eunavor Atalanta.
The European delegation to Mauritius also assisted in the co-ordination with the Seychelles authorities.
Officials were briefed on the circumstances of the case that led to the alleged pirates being handed over to the Seychelles authorities, where they are now being held in custody awaiting trial.
“Operation Atalanta has legal agreements with different nations in the Area of Operations, one of them being Seychelles, which allows for the trial of suspected pirates arrested by warships joining the operation,” said Eunavor Atalanta.
“This is the core of the legal finish that Atalanta has, which guarantees the entire process within piracy events from deter, arrest, detention, and prosecution in accordance with international law.”
Eunavor Atlanta said the operation remained committed to supporting the country in the prosecution of the case until it goes to trial.
Since its inception in 2008, Eunavor Atalanta has transferred 177 suspected pirates to the competent authorities, resulting in 145 having been convicted.
