Naval coalition ôcannot guarantee safetyö in Gulf of Aden
The U.S. Navy said Monday it could not fully protect commercial vessels in the piracy-stricken Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia, Reuters reported.
It said it is doing all it can to secure the gulf, but that shipping companies should take their own preventative measures to avoid pirate attacks, which has increased markedly in number the past few months.
With another attack on Sunday, there have now been 30 hijackings for the year. A naval coalition of warships from Britain, France, Canada, Germany, Pakistan and the United States patrolling the waters has stopped 12 attacks since May, but more is needed.
“The coalition does not have the resources to provide 24-hour protection for the vast number of merchant vessels in the region,” Combined Maritime Forces Commander, U.S. Vice Adm. Bill Gortney said in a statement. “The shipping companies must take measures to defend their vessels and their crews. Coalition maritime efforts will give the IMO (International Maritime Organization) time to work international efforts that will ultimately lead to a long-term solution. This is a problem that starts ashore and requires an international solution. We made this clear at the outset — our efforts cannot guarantee safety in the region.”