HDMS ABSALON |
In August 2008 the Danish command and support ship HDMS ABSALON deployed to join and lead CTF 150 for a 6 month period as part of an international effort to curb piracy.
On September 15th 2008 HDMS ABSALON took lead of TF 150 at the change of command ceremony in Bahrain.
Two days later the Danish vessel captured 10 pirates in two small boats known as skiffs. The pirates were in possession of ladders and other implements used for boarding merchant vessels as well as rocket launchers, machine pistols, and grenades.
After consulting with the Danish Ministry of Justice and other task force members it was determined by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark that the pirates could only be prosecuted in Denmark, partly because the pirates would have faced the death penalty in the nearby states, and partly because Danish law prohibits extraditing criminals when they might face the death penalty.
Weapons and ladders |
Eventually, the pirates were freed since it was established that no Danish persons or property had been involved in the incident leading up to their detainment. The pirates were put ashore in the vicinity of a small village in northern Somalia. Their weapons and other equipment were confiscated.
In December 2008 HDMS ABSALON was involved in the rescue of 7 putative Somalis 90 miles off Yemen in the Gulf of Aden. The 7 Somalis may previously have been involved in acts of piracy but they were in distress. The skiff from Somalia had been adrift for several days and had rocket-propelled grenades and AK-47 assault rifles onboard.
Also according to the report HDMS ABSALON took the sailors and weapons aboard, sunk the craft and turned the rescued sailors over to the Yemenish coast guard.
On January 13th 2009 HDMS ABSALON passed on the command responsibility of TF 150 to Germany at the change of command ceremony in Bahrain and was transferred to TF 151.
HDMS ABSALON left the Gulf of Aden in April and arrived in Copenhagen on April 16th 2009.
Combined Task Force 151
Denmark has taken command of Combined Task Force 151 from January to April 2012.
Read more about Combined Task Force 151 on Combined Maritime Forces' website