Danish forces boarded and sank a pirate control ship as part of Nato operations off the coast of Somalia

The Absalon, a Danish attack support ship, sank a pirate control ship off the coast of Somalia on Sunday, according to a Nato press release.

The Absalon is the current flag ship of the Nato fleet operating in the pirate-stricken Gulf of Aden off the east African coast and has been involved in numerous pirate run-ins.

The latest saw a pirate mother skiff intercepted by a boarding team from the Absalon before it was scuttled. It had been spotted earlier in the day after leaving a Somali camp outfitted with pirate equipment and supplies.

‘This was a very well executed operation,’ said Admiral Christian Rune. ‘Disrupting the pirates’ capability just off their main pirate camps sends a strong signal to the pirates that Nato and the international community do not tolerate their actions. Disposing of their vessels before they can head to sea hits the pirates before they can present a threat to merchant shipping.’

Nato has stepped up its efforts in the area as the monsoon season comes to an end and the traditionally lucrative spring season attracts more pirates to the seas.