RFA Diligence receives a Mayday call

RFA Diligence

On 16 May 2011 RFA Diligence (A132), the Service’s Forward Repair Ship received a Mayday call from the German owned, Panamanian flagged 158,000 ton MV Artemis Glory, saying that their ship was under attack by pirates in the Gulf of Oman. The tanker was on passage from Juaymah Terminal in Saudi Arabia to China with a cargo of crude oil.

RFA Diligence receives a Mayday call

RFA Diligence

On 16 May 2011 RFA Diligence (A132), the Service’s Forward Repair Ship received a Mayday call from the German owned, Panamanian flagged 158,000 ton MV Artemis Glory, saying that their ship was under attack by pirates in the Gulf of Oman. The tanker was on passage from Juaymah Terminal in Saudi Arabia to China with a cargo of crude oil.

MV Artemis Glory

The message was relayed to the Combined Maritime Forces (UKMTO). UKMTO confirmed the message with the master of Artemis Glory. The United States Destroyer USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) was directed to respond and launched a Navy SH-60B Seahawk Helicopter to investigate.

USS Bulkeley

On arrived at the scene the helicopter crew saw four individuals in a skiff firing at Artemis Glory, using small arms. The helicopter crew opened fire on the skiff under what was described as the principle of “extended unit self-defense” on behalf of the crude carrier. All four pirates are believed to have been killed. The helicopter is equipped with a single M-240 machine gun. Officials do not believe the helicopter was fired upon by the pirates.

None of Artemis Glory’s twenty three crew members were injured and the ship has continued onto her next port of call.