Oman, South Korea, EU conduct naval exercise in Gulf of Aden

BRUSSELS, Oct. 19 (YPA) – The European Union (EU) announced Tuesday the first joint naval exercise and exchange of information in the Gulf of Aden-Arabian Sea corridor, in which South Korea and the Sultanate of Oman participated.

A statement, issued by the EU, stated that the forces participating in the naval maneuver are: the European Navy in Somalia (Atalanta operation), the frigate “Victoria”, and the destroyer of the Republic of Korea, as well as the Maritime Security Center of the Sultanate of Oman.

The statement indicated that the joint naval exercises included boarding a ship with helicopter-borne special operations forces, firing live heavy machine guns, search and rescue operations, and complex tactical operations at sea.

For its part, the South Korean Defense Ministry said that South Korea, the European Union and the Sultanate of Oman conducted their first joint naval exercise to combat piracy on the coast of the Gulf of Aden.

This maneuver took place along the internationally recommended transit corridor, a navigational route through the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea that is guarded by international naval forces.

This comes at a time the EU steps up anti-piracy efforts in the framework of “Atalanta Operation” to combat piracy in Somalia.

YPA