Wednesday, October 02, 2013
The AFM’s Special Duties Enhanced Boarding Team (SDEBT), led by Lt
Col Ian Ruggier, has returned from an anti-piracy operation off the
coast of Somalia.
The team of three officers and 19 other ranks was based on the Dutch Navy ship HNLMS Johan de Witt.
Their service was part of the EU Led Anti-Piracy mission codenamed EU
NAV FOR ATALANTA. The Maltese contingent performed several
board-and-search operations in the Gulf of Aden, deterring pirate
attacks in the region, the AFM said.
This was the third such operation by Maltese soldiers. Dutch Marines
have now taken over the protection duties that were previously being
carried out by the Maltese forces.
The Maltese contingent was met on its arrival at Malta International
Airport by the Commander of the Armed Forces of Malta, Brigadier Martin G
Xuereb, accompanied by Capt Jason Pisani, Officer Commanding ‘C’
Special Duties Company.