Dutch heavy lift ship attacked then freed by Spanish Navy
The ship left Luba in the morning May 5, bound for Valetta, Malta.
Master activated SSAS, all 20 crew mustered in citadel.
Pirates demanded from crew via PA to surrender, and give to pirates all money and valuables seamen have.
Crew remained in citadel, pirates found a hole and fired through it into citadel, but luckily, without injuring anyone.
Meanwhile, Operations and Surveillance Center of the Navy (COVAM), alerted by ship’s distress signal, ordered patrol boat of Spanish Navy SERVIOLA P-71, deployed in international Navy security mission in Gulf of Guinea, to free hijacked ship.
In the morning May 6 spec ops team boarded BLUE MARLIN, and freed the ship.
It is not known, if pirates were seized, or they managed to flee.
As of 0130 UTC May 7, BLUE MARLIN was adrift near attack site, most probably clearing up mess and preparing to resume voyage.
Or maybe, she’ll call nearest port for investigation.
Reportedly, military team is still on board. ■