USS Rescue

Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) warship USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) has come to the rescue of a hijacked tanker and its 24 crew.

At approximately 3 p.m. (Bahrain), Mar. 5, oil tanker MV Guanabara reported it was under attack when it was 328 nautical miles south east of Duqm, Oman.

Bulkeley, assigned to CMF’s counter-piracy mission Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 was directed to intercept Guanabara, supported by the Turkish warship TCG Giresun of NATO’s counter-piracy Task Force 508.

Following confirmation from Guanabara’s master that the suspected pirates were aboard and his crew had taken refuge in the ship’s ‘citadel,’ Bulkeley’s specialist boarding team, supported overhead by its embarked
SH-60 helicopter, secured the Bahamian-flagged vessel and detained four men.

There was no exchange of fire at any time during the operation to release the MV Guanabara.

CMF’s counter-piracy commander, Commodore Abdul Alheem said,

“The ships and aircraft under my command have today scored a real and immediate victory through the disruption of a suspected act of piracy and the detention of individuals believed to be engaging in piracy.

“Through our mutual cooperation and shared coordination, CTF 151 and our partner organizations has prevented the kidnapping of legitimate mariners who sought only to go peacefully about their business. Today, there will be a merchant ship sailing freely that would not be doing so were it not for the
efforts of CTF-151.”