November 25, (THEWILL) – A Danish naval patrol killed four pirates in an exchange of fire in the Gulf of Guinea off the coast of Nigeria, Denmark’s armed forces said on Thursday.
A statement said the frigate Esbern Snare accompanied by a helicopter approached a speeding motorboat south of Nigeria on Wednesday.
There were eight men on board with ladders and other tools often used by pirates to board ships.
After warning shots were ignored the suspected pirates opened fire on Danish troops. The Danish soldiers acted in self-defence and returned fire.
The military said four of the pirates died and one was injured; there were no Danish casualties.
“No Danish soldiers were injured, but five pirates were shot. Four of the pirates died. One was injured”, the military said.
Several countries have deployed ships to the region after more than 130 sailors were taken from vessels in the region last year.
The same year, 130 of 135 hostage takings at sea occurred in the region, according to the International Maritime Office.
The Danish helicopter-equipped frigate and its 175 sailors “are fulfilling an important task by protecting Danish and other commercial vessels in the region”, Defence Minister Trine Bramsen said on Thursday..
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen is currently in neighbouring Ghana and due to visit the Esbern Snare.
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