An AFM detachment has successfully escorted a ship chartered by the UN's World Food Programme to deliver food to Magadishu.

The soldiers, from 'C' Special Duties Company, are serving in the UN/EU-mandated mission EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, offering protection from pirates around the coast of Somalia.

The Maltese team, which also includes elements from the AFM's Rapid Deployment Team, boarded the MV Baltic Cruiser in Mombasa and accompanied the ship to Mogadishu, Somalia.

The team then returned to the Dutch Navy vessel HNLMS Zuiderkruis, its home for the operation.

This is the second year that the AFM is conducting joint operations with the Dutch Navy. 

In the eventuality of a pirate attack, teams such as this assist the ship's master in conducting counter measures to prevent boarding by pirates and can also act to prevent pusuit by the pirates.  Throughout this operation HNLMS Zuiderkruis was  in the vicinity to add additional anti-piracy capabilities. The AFM team was trained for  18 months in order to acquire the skill- set required for such operations. 

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