The Filipino-flagged vessel Falcon Trader II, a merchant ship from the Philippines was under attacked by pirates 300 miles off the coast of Oman. At around 10:30 A.M. local time Thursday, the hijacking occured when unidentified number of pirates have boarded the ship but all 20 Filipino crew members were locked safe in a citadel equipped with radios, ship control stations and basic necessities.
USS Aircraft Carrier Enterprise and Cruiser Leyte Gulf have responded to the distress call made by the Filipinos on-board Falcon Trader II. An SH-60F helicopter, from Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron 11 soon after embarked from Enterprise and made the rescue efforts.
They fired warning shots that keeps the pirates rushing for escape to their skiff boat. Helicopter pilots even saw two pirates jumped off from the bow of the merchant ship. The helicopters chased the pirates until it reached to their mother ship. The hijackers even fired to the helicopter but they were unharmed.
The helicopter returned to based without engaging with the pirates. Meanwhile USS Leyte Gulf have remained in contact with the Filipinos through a crew which is fluent in Filipino language until the merchant ship Falcon Trader II have been secured.
Guided-Cruise Missile USS Leyte Gulf and Aircraft Carrier was part of the Operation Enduring Freedom a group of International Naval Reconnaissance Mission to oversee the safe p(–foul word(s) removed–)age of vessels along the Arabian Gulf and the Horn of Africa Route infested by pirates for the past few years.
Navy Capt. Eugene Black, commanding officer of the Leyte Gulf, was quoted as saying “A great deal about the inherent flexibility and capability of the Enterprise Strike Group that we were able to conduct counter-piracy operations while simultaneously flying Operation Enduring Freedom missions and coordinating air defense of the region,” the captain said after the successful operation.
Meanwhile the the USS Enterprise crews stated that “This is a great example of the teamwork inherent in a Carrier Strike Group,” said Navy Rear Adm. Terry Kraft, commander of Enterprise Strike Group. “We were lucky to be on scene when the attack occurred, and everyone did their jobs well.”