A Spanish tuna fishing vessel was seized in the pre-dawn hours on October 2 by pirates off the coast of Somalia after issuing multiple distress calls about the attack. There are 16 Spanish crewmen on board, while the remaining 20 represent various Asian and African nations. Executives of Echebastar Fleet, the Spanish Basque company that owns La Alakrana, are on their way to Kenya to coordinate negotiations with the pirates.
The Alakrana was outside of the perimeter protected by Spanish naval vessels. Canarias – a Spanish frigate – has a fix on the waylaid fishing vessel, but still remains nearly a day’s journey away but may reach it by midnight local time. General Jaime Domínguez Buj claimed that all remains calm on the Alakrana but declined to say whether contact had been established with the pirates onboard. The Spanish navy has mobilized air reconnaissance of the vessel and video images of the seized tuna ship have been shown variously in Spanish media. There are indications that the skipper of the Alakrana remains in contact with the outside world via email.
María Fernández de la Vega, Spain’s vice prime minister, held an emergency meeting on the morning of October 3 to discuss political ramifications of the seizure of the Alakrana, while the chief of Spain’s Joint Chiefs of Staff met separately to discuss a tactical response to the attack. Defense Minister Carme Chacón responded to criticisms of Spain’s responsiveness to pirate attack. She disagreed that placing squads of armed marines on board Spanish civilian vessels would enhance their security, claiming Spanish law “does not allow it and it would be hardly operational or functional. Spanish officials are slated to go to Brussels to discuss a European response to piracy in the lawless seas off the Horn of Africa.
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