(philstar.com)
NAIROBI (Xinhua) -- European Union naval force said its warship destroyed a suspicious whaler close to a beach off Somalia, 100 nautical miles southwest of Mogadishu.
Naval Force spokesperson Harrie Harrison said a helicopter was dispatched on Friday to inspect and found the whaler loaded with equipment usually related to piracy on board.
''No crew was seen on board. Consequently, the whaler was destroyed to prevent any potential future use for piracy,'' Harrison said in a statement on Saturday.
''This action continues EU NAVFOR's robust stance against piracy and the intention to interdict and disrupt pirate activity, '' he said.
The pirates have increased their activity along Gulf of Aden, a body of water between Somalia and Yemen, which is the main sea route between Europe and Asia.
Tankers carrying Middle East oil through the Suez Canal must pass first through the Gulf of Aden. About 4 percent of the world's daily oil supply is shipped through the gulf.
The attacks are being carried out by increasingly well- coordinated Somali gangs armed with automatic weapons and rocket- propelled grenades, maritime officials said.
The Horn of Africa nation has been without a functioning government since 1991, and remains one of the world's most violent and lawless countries.
Combined Task Force 150, a naval alliance dominated by the United States and based in the Gulf of Aden nation of Djibouti, is patrolling an area within the Gulf of Aden to help protect ships from pirates.
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