EU pirate guards may be put on Somalia ships

Vulnerable cargo ships off the coast of Somalia may be given their own armed guards by an EU task force being sent to combat the huge surge in piracy there.

The British naval commander in charge of the operation, vice admiral Philip Jones, said the EU’s warship flotilla would seek to place “vessel-protection detachments” on board some ships transporting food aid to Somalia.

The EU mission includes four ships and two maritime reconnaissance aircraft and will replace the four-vessel Nato flotilla that has been conducting anti-piracy patrols off the Somali coast on December 15.

Meanwhile German cruise operator Hapag-Lloyd said it will disembark hundreds of passengers on a round-the-world cruise before reaching Somalia and fly them to Dubai to avoid pirates.

The company said the MS Columbus and its crew will continue on through the Gulf of Aden. Passengers will rejoin the vessel in Oman for the remainder of a trip that began last month in Genoa, Italy.

Pirates have recently started trying to take cruise vessels. Last week the MS Nautica outran pirates that attacked it.