When Pirates Mistook a Warship for a Cargo Ship

In the early morning hours of January 12, 2012, in heavy seas and marginal weather, a small skiff manned by seven Somali pirates who were up to no good spotted a defenceless cargo vessel at anchor located a few miles off the coast of Somalia. The pirates, under conditions of low light at approximately 0300 hours, launched into action to seize the unsuspecting vessel and its cargo.

Racing towards the ship, the Somali pirates opened fire with their AK-47s. as they approached the ship's hull to board the anchored freighter in hopes of seizing its cargo and holding its crew for ransom.

The pirates were able to come alongside due to the unsuspecting ship's crew who had seemingly let their guard down during the severe nighttime weather and only became aware of the small pirate's skiff once it had already commenced its attack.

Most unfortunately for the pirates, and much to their surprise, the defenceless cargo vessel they were attacking under cover of darkness was in fact, a Warship of the Spanish Navy. None other than the flagship for the European Union's counter-piracy fleet.

The Patiño with her displacement of over 17 thousand long tons was not a merchant vessel at all, but a Naval Warship Replenishment Oiler named after Spanish navy minister José Patiño Rosales.

Now alongside what they mistakenly and oh so painfully thought was a helpless merchant ship, the Somali pirates were in fact attempting to board a fully operational military vessel that not only lacked the valuable cargo they were seeking but instead was manned by over 150 armed Spanish Marines, two Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, and two Izar FABA Systems Meroka 20 mm close-in weapon system cannons.

Quickly overwhelmed by the Patiño's heavy return fire, the now terrified Somali pirates turned their skiff away and attempted to flee the anchored Warship.

In answer to the pirates attempt to escape, the Captain of the Spanish Navy Warship Patiño dispatched one of its SH-3 Sea King helicopters to dispense some "international relations" on the Somali pirates.