A large multinational naval force and the Danish Frogman Corps was brought into action to liberate the hostages on board the tanker AMMENSEE. During the week pirates had moved the hostages around ashore and now they were moved back to the ship.

From the support ship ESBERN SNARE the extensive operation was co-ordinated from the ship’s ops-room. Fast motorboats brought the frogmen in position to board the hostage ship while a sniper was securing the area from a helicopter. The frogmen climbed aboard and engaged the hostage-takers who either were neutralized or surrendered.

The Special Forces then quickly searched the ship to find the hostages. On their way the exercise control placed numerous obstacles. For example bomb detonations, fire and leak of toxic liquids. From the different naval ships help was flowing in the form of fire fighting teams, bomb disposal teams and rescue teams.

Ashore patrols from the Danish Home Guard’s Special Support and Recce Company (SSR) had earlier been put into action to secure the nearby Ålbæk Harbour. Now the harbour was attacked from all sides and at the same time fast boats from land tried to attack the multinational force. The Danish Navy’s ships neutralized the attacking boats and at the same time gave gun support to the soldiers on the shore so that they could withdraw to waiting helicopters.

On board the hijacked ship the hostages were found one by one and brought to safety on the support ship ESBERN SNARE. After that a boarding team from ESBERN SNARE took over the job to secure the liberated ship and sailed it towards a safe harbour.

Back on the support ship ESBERN SNARE sailors, frogmen and former hostages finally could breathe a sigh of relief: the hostage relief operation had succeeded and a long and instructive exercise DANEX 08 had ended.