At first light on January 2012, Somali pirates opened fire on the Spanish Navy combat replenishment ship Patino, which is serving as the current flagship of EU  Navfor.

Patino had just completed the escort of a World Food Program ship carrying food-aid into Somalia and was operating close to the Somali port of Mogadishu.

It was approached by one skiff with a group of suspected pirates onboard.

The suspected pirates opened fire with light caliber weapons and tried to board the Patino.

The ship’s force-protection team returned fire in self-defense and the ship’s helicopter was launched.

The skiff broke off the attack and the men surrendered to the helicopter after throwing their weapons, ladder and fuel barrels overboard.

Five of the six men who were in the skiff had received injuries, two of which required medical treatment onboard the Patino.

A claim by the suspects that a seventh man had been in the skiff , but was lost overboard during the attack, is being investigated.

January 13, 2012

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