Operation Dawn of Gulf of Aden
Encyclopedia
Operation Dawn of Gulf of Aden was a naval operation by the Republic of Korea Navy
against Somali pirates
in the Arabian Sea
. The operation was spurred by the pirates' seizure of the South Korean chemical tanker
Samho Jewelry. In response, the South Korean government sent a destroyer and 30 naval commandos to retake the ship and rescue its crew. After trailing the tanker for several days and fighting a preliminary engagement that neutralized four of the pirates, the South Koreans forces retook the ship by force on January 21, 2011 in a successful boarding action
that resulted in the death of eight and the capture of five out of seventeen pirates.
-owned chemical tanker Samho Jewelry was sailing through the Arabian Sea
from the United Arab Emirates
to Sri Lanka
when it was attacked by a group of Somali pirates 350 nmi (648.2 km; 402.8 mi) southeast of the port of Muscat, Oman
. Tanker captain Seok Hae-gyun changed the ship's course to keep in international waters as long as possible. The pirates eventually seized the tanker and used it as a base from which to launch attacks on other ships. The South Korean operator of the vessel, the Samho Shipping Company, was facing huge losses because it was obligated to continue paying Norwegian investors under its charter even while the vessel was held by pirates. However, the Norwegian government had no military presence in the area at the time. Eight South Koreans, eleven Burmese, and two Indonesians were among the 21 crewmembers being held hostage.
On January 16, South Korean president Lee Myung-bak
issued an order to "comprehensively deal with" the crisis. The ROKS Choi Young (DDH-981
was dispatched under Captain Cho Young-joo, commander of the Cheonghae Anti-piracy Unit
. The unit included members of the Republic of Korea Naval Special Warfare Brigade. The 30 commandos aboard the Choi Young could be deployed with several small boats and a Westland Super Lynx helicopter. Additionally, warships from the United States
and Omani
navies were nearby. In contrast, the pirates were outnumbered with only 17 men aboard the tanker. They were also outgunned by the Koreans, possessing only assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades.
was utilized to prevent the pirates from calling for assistance.
n cargo vessel about 11 km (5.9 nmi) away. Four of the pirates embarked on a small motorboat to hijack it. With only thirteen pirates remaining behind, a group of ten commandos from the Choi Young attempted to approach the Samho Jewelry in a speedboat. However, three of the commandos were injured in the ensuing firefight and the speedboat returned to the destroyer.
A Westland Lynx
helicopter was sent after the hijackers in the motorboat heading towards the Mongolian ship. All four of the pirates from that confrontation were either killed or disappeared overboard. After the Mongolian vessel was able to proceed safely, the crew of the Choi Young recovered the remnants of the hijackers' motorboat. Three rusty AK-47 rifles and an ammunition magazine were retrieved, along with three small iron ladders for boarding and various tools, including a screwdriver, a spanner, and several fishing knives. As the pirates had only six AK-47 rifles in total and three of them had now been confiscated, they had lost half of their firearms and about a quarter of their personnel.
After this engagement, the South Korean military decided to initiate a boarding operation, as intelligence reports suggested that the remaining captors were exhausted and that additional pirates were being dispatched from Somalia to reinforce them.
assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, initiated a firefight that resulted in eight pirates killed and five captured; while the captain of the tanker was wounded, he was expected to survive. The U.S. Navy destroyer also assisted in the operation by evacuating the tanker's wounded captain via helicopter after the firefight had ended. In all, the operation took about five hours to complete. The rescue was called "a perfect military operation" by Lieutenant General Lee Sung-ho of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea
.
appeared on television and praised the military for its actions in the operation and issued a warning that it would respond strongly to anyone who threatened the Korean people. The operation was seen as a huge success by the media, who noted the strong response to the pirates in contrast to the South Korean government's response to several North Korean provocations that had occurred in previous months such as the bombardment of Yeonpyeong
. It was reported that due to the strong show of force by South Korea to the hijacking, some Somali pirates intended to "seek revenge" for the South Korean Navy's actions. The pirates said that they would no longer attempt to hold South Korean flagged ships and sailors for ransom, but instead attack the ships and kill the sailors.
, as both Samho Jewelry and her captain were based there. After interrogating the captured pirates, the Republic of Korea Coast Guard
determined that the leader, Abdi Risqe Shakh, 28, and his lieutenant, Suti Ali Harut, had been killed during one of the two raids. The surviving pirates denied knowing one another, nor who had shot the captain of the tanker, though investigators suspect Arai Mahomed of being the gunman. The defendants face charges of maritime robbery, attempted murder and ship hijacking. The detainees have since complimented the legal system, food, and prison conditions in South Korea.
Republic of Korea Navy
The Republic of Korea Navy or the ROK Navy is the branch of the South Korean armed forces responsible for conducting naval operations and amphibious landing operations. The ROK Navy includes the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, which is a quasi-autonomous organization...
against Somali pirates
Piracy in Somalia
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has been a threat to international shipping since the second phase of the Somali Civil War in the early 21st century...
in the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
. The operation was spurred by the pirates' seizure of the South Korean chemical tanker
Chemical tanker
A chemical tanker is a type of tanker designed to transport chemicals in bulk.Ocean-going chemical tankers generally range from to in size, which is considerably smaller than the average size of other tanker types due to the specialised nature of their cargoes and the size restrictions of the...
Samho Jewelry. In response, the South Korean government sent a destroyer and 30 naval commandos to retake the ship and rescue its crew. After trailing the tanker for several days and fighting a preliminary engagement that neutralized four of the pirates, the South Koreans forces retook the ship by force on January 21, 2011 in a successful boarding action
Boarding (attack)
Boarding, in its simplest sense, refers to the insertion on to a ship's deck of individuals. However, when it is classified as an attack, in most contexts, it refers to the forcible insertion of personnel that are not members of the crew by another party without the consent of the captain or crew...
that resulted in the death of eight and the capture of five out of seventeen pirates.
Background
On January 15, 2011, the NorwegianNorway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
-owned chemical tanker Samho Jewelry was sailing through the Arabian Sea
Arabian Sea
The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...
from the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
to Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
when it was attacked by a group of Somali pirates 350 nmi (648.2 km; 402.8 mi) southeast of the port of Muscat, Oman
Muscat, Oman
Muscat is the capital of Oman. It is also the seat of government and largest city in the Governorate of Muscat. As of 2008, the population of the Muscat metropolitan area was 1,090,797. The metropolitan area spans approximately and includes six provinces called wilayats...
. Tanker captain Seok Hae-gyun changed the ship's course to keep in international waters as long as possible. The pirates eventually seized the tanker and used it as a base from which to launch attacks on other ships. The South Korean operator of the vessel, the Samho Shipping Company, was facing huge losses because it was obligated to continue paying Norwegian investors under its charter even while the vessel was held by pirates. However, the Norwegian government had no military presence in the area at the time. Eight South Koreans, eleven Burmese, and two Indonesians were among the 21 crewmembers being held hostage.
On January 16, South Korean president Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
issued an order to "comprehensively deal with" the crisis. The ROKS Choi Young (DDH-981
ROKS Choi Young (DDH-981)
ROKS Choi Young is a Chungmugong Yi Sun-sin class destroyer in the South Korean navy. It is named after the Korean general Choe Yeong.-Design:...
was dispatched under Captain Cho Young-joo, commander of the Cheonghae Anti-piracy Unit
Cheonghae Unit
The Cheonghae Anti-piracy Unit was established by the Republic of Korea Navy to protect civilian ships near the coast of Somalia under Combined Task Force 151...
. The unit included members of the Republic of Korea Naval Special Warfare Brigade. The 30 commandos aboard the Choi Young could be deployed with several small boats and a Westland Super Lynx helicopter. Additionally, warships from the United States
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
and Omani
Royal Navy of Oman
The Royal Navy of Oman was formed in the early 1950s-Ships:* Qahir class corvettes built by Vosper Thornycroft ** Q31 Qahir Al Amwaj** Q32 Al Mua'zzar...
navies were nearby. In contrast, the pirates were outnumbered with only 17 men aboard the tanker. They were also outgunned by the Koreans, possessing only assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades.
Engagements
Once the Choi Young caught up with the Samho Jewelry, it pursued the tanker until the pirates aboard were fatigued. Several fake attacks were staged to further wear down the pirate crew. Communications jammingCommunications jamming
In telecommunication, the term communications jamming has the following meanings:#The portion of electronic jamming that is directed against communications circuits and systems....
was utilized to prevent the pirates from calling for assistance.
January 18
On January 18, the pirates aboard the Samho Jewelry sighted a MongoliaMongolia
Mongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
n cargo vessel about 11 km (5.9 nmi) away. Four of the pirates embarked on a small motorboat to hijack it. With only thirteen pirates remaining behind, a group of ten commandos from the Choi Young attempted to approach the Samho Jewelry in a speedboat. However, three of the commandos were injured in the ensuing firefight and the speedboat returned to the destroyer.
A Westland Lynx
Westland Lynx
The Westland Lynx is a British multi-purpose military helicopter designed and built by Westland Helicopters at its factory in Yeovil. Originally intended as a utility craft for both civil and naval usage, military interest led to the development of both battlefield and naval variants...
helicopter was sent after the hijackers in the motorboat heading towards the Mongolian ship. All four of the pirates from that confrontation were either killed or disappeared overboard. After the Mongolian vessel was able to proceed safely, the crew of the Choi Young recovered the remnants of the hijackers' motorboat. Three rusty AK-47 rifles and an ammunition magazine were retrieved, along with three small iron ladders for boarding and various tools, including a screwdriver, a spanner, and several fishing knives. As the pirates had only six AK-47 rifles in total and three of them had now been confiscated, they had lost half of their firearms and about a quarter of their personnel.
After this engagement, the South Korean military decided to initiate a boarding operation, as intelligence reports suggested that the remaining captors were exhausted and that additional pirates were being dispatched from Somalia to reinforce them.
January 21
The boarding of the Samho Jewelry began on January 21 at 04:58 local time and took place at about 700 nmi (1,296.4 km; 805.5 mi) from Somalia's coast. While Navy commandos used three fast boats to reach the tanker, the helicopter from the Choi Young fired warning shots at the tanker. Once the commandos boarded the ship, the pirates, armed with AK-47AK-47
The AK-47 is a selective-fire, gas-operated 7.62×39mm assault rifle, first developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. It is officially known as Avtomat Kalashnikova . It is also known as a Kalashnikov, an "AK", or in Russian slang, Kalash.Design work on the AK-47 began in the last year...
assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades, initiated a firefight that resulted in eight pirates killed and five captured; while the captain of the tanker was wounded, he was expected to survive. The U.S. Navy destroyer also assisted in the operation by evacuating the tanker's wounded captain via helicopter after the firefight had ended. In all, the operation took about five hours to complete. The rescue was called "a perfect military operation" by Lieutenant General Lee Sung-ho of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Republic of Korea
Joint Chiefs of Staff (Republic of Korea)
Joint Chiefs of Staff of Republic of Korea is a group of Chiefs from each major branch of the armed services in the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. Unlike his/her United States counterpart, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has Operational Control over all military personnel of the Armed...
.
Aftermath
After news of the incident reached Korea, South Korean President Lee Myung-bakLee Myung-bak
Lee Myung-bak is the President of South Korea. Prior to his presidency, he was the CEO of Hyundai Engineering and Construction and the mayor of Seoul. He is married to Kim Yoon-ok and has three daughters and one son. His older brother is Lee Sang-deuk, a South Korean politician. He attends the...
appeared on television and praised the military for its actions in the operation and issued a warning that it would respond strongly to anyone who threatened the Korean people. The operation was seen as a huge success by the media, who noted the strong response to the pirates in contrast to the South Korean government's response to several North Korean provocations that had occurred in previous months such as the bombardment of Yeonpyeong
Bombardment of Yeonpyeong
The bombardment of Yeonpyeong was an artillery engagement between the North Korean military and South Korean forces stationed on Yeonpyeong Island on November 23, 2010. Following a South Korean regular artillery exercise at waters in the south, North Korean forces fired around 170 artillery shells...
. It was reported that due to the strong show of force by South Korea to the hijacking, some Somali pirates intended to "seek revenge" for the South Korean Navy's actions. The pirates said that they would no longer attempt to hold South Korean flagged ships and sailors for ransom, but instead attack the ships and kill the sailors.
Legal proceedings
It was announced on January 29 that five pirates captured in the operation had been transported to South Korea, where they were charged with attempted murder and maritime robbery. The investigation proceeded in the city of BusanBusan
Busan , formerly spelled Pusan is South Korea's second largest metropolis after Seoul, with a population of around 3.6 million. The Metropolitan area population is 4,399,515 as of 2010. It is the largest port city in South Korea and the fifth largest port in the world...
, as both Samho Jewelry and her captain were based there. After interrogating the captured pirates, the Republic of Korea Coast Guard
Republic of Korea Coast Guard
The Korea Coast Guard is responsible for maritime safety and control off the coast of South Korea. The KCG is an external branch of Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs at peacetime...
determined that the leader, Abdi Risqe Shakh, 28, and his lieutenant, Suti Ali Harut, had been killed during one of the two raids. The surviving pirates denied knowing one another, nor who had shot the captain of the tanker, though investigators suspect Arai Mahomed of being the gunman. The defendants face charges of maritime robbery, attempted murder and ship hijacking. The detainees have since complimented the legal system, food, and prison conditions in South Korea.
See also
- List of armed conflicts and attacks, 2011
- List of ships attacked by Somali pirates in 2011
- Combined Task Force 150Combined Task Force 150Combined Task Force 150 is a multinational coalition naval task force working under the 25 nation coalition of Combined Maritime Forces and is based in Bahrain established to monitor, inspect, board, and stop suspect shipping to pursue the "War on Terrorism" and in the Horn of Africa region ...
and Combined Task Force 151Combined Task Force 151Combined Task Force 151 or CTF-151 or Combined Task Force One Five One is an international naval task force, set up in response to piracy attacks in shipping lanes off the coast of Somalia...
, coalition counter-piracy operations in the region. - Maersk Alabama hijackingMaersk Alabama hijackingThe Maersk Alabama hijacking was a series of events involving piracy that began with four Somali pirates seizing the cargo ship southeast of the Somali port city of Eyl. This event ended with the action of 12 April 2009. It was the first successful pirate seizure of a ship registered under the...