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Naval
Forces News - France |
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French
Navy Frigate Intercepts 2 vessels in French EEZ off Scattered Islands
in Indian Ocean |
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On
9 September 2013, Frigate Nivôse (Floreal class) of the
French Navy Indian Ocean fleet homeported in Reunion Island, intercepted
two vessels in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Europa, one of the
French Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean between Africa and Madagascar. |
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The French Navy Frigate Nivôse (Floreal class) intercepts
the Pacific Falcon in the French exclusive economic zone off Europa
Island.
Picture: French Navy
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Returning
from a naval exercise conducted with the navies of South Africa and
Mozambic, the Floreal class frigate
detected two vessels operating in the EEZ without permission from the
French authorities:
- A research vessel flying Singapore flag, the Pacific Falcon,
conducting seismic surveys for oil exploration,
- And the Storm West, a Norwegian-flagged trawler, ensuring
its safety.
The research vessel was intercepted by the Nivôse. Its visit,
board, search and seizure (VBSS) team conducted an inspection onboard
the Pacific Falcon. The two vessels have been ordered to cease
all survey activity and leave as soon as possible the French EEZ through
the shortest route. Both vessels complied immediately with the instructions,
under the firm monitoring of the French Frigate. |
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The
Nivôse VBSS team is winched down from a Panther helicopter
to inspect the Pacific Falcon
Picture: French Navy |
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The
VBSS team, hoisted in the late afternoon onboard the Pacific Falcon,
returned aboard Nivôse with elements that will allow
French Authorities to pursue administrative procedures against these
ships. During the inspection, the ship's captain was not able to present
the paperwork allowing it to carry out research by seismic reflection
"off the Mozambican coast." |
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The
Nivôse VBSS team is winched down from a Panther helicopter
to inspect the Pacific Falcon
Picture: French Navy |
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The
French Navy Indian Ocean Fleet mission is to protect the national territory,
strategic facilities and maintain the security, ensure the prevention
and protection of the interests of France in its area of responsibility
against all forms of foreign aggression. Their mission is also to support
the action of the French State and contribute to conditions of stability
and development of local communities through the implementation of military
means to assert French sovereignty. In a crisis, they are able to lead
or participate in a military operation and / or conduct emergency operations
(humanitarian assistance, natural disasters).
The Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean (French: Îles Éparses
or Îles éparses de l'océan indien) consist of four
small coral islands, an atoll, and a reef in the Indian Ocean, and constitutes
the 5th district of the French Southern and Antarctic Lands (TAAF).
France claims an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles
(370 km) around each of the small islands in the Îles Éparses,
which together with the EEZ claims for the islands of Réunion
and Mayotte totals more than one million square kilometres (400,000
sq mi) in the western Indian Ocean.
Translated from a French Navy press release
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