The Australian Defence Force has continued its support to international cooperation in combating piracy by assisting the government of the Seychelles in a current criminal trial of accused pirates.
Royal Australian Air Force personnel have appeared as witnesses in the trial to give evidence about imagery captured by a Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orion aircraft, while deployed in the Middle East Area of Operations, of a suspected pirate vessel.
The trial relates to an alleged pirate attack on the MV Happy Bird, a United Kingdom flagged liquid petroleum gas carrier, in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia on 12 January 2012.
Royal Australian Air Force PA-3C Orion aircraft operate in the Middle East Area of Operations. An element of their tasking is in support of the Combined Maritime Force, the 26 member multi-national naval partnership which promotes security, stability, and prosperity in the Arabian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Red Sea region.
Earlier this year, the Seychelles established the Regional Anti-Piracy Prosecution Intelligence and Coordination Centre and has signed a number of arrangements to support a prosecution framework for suspected pirates brought to the Seychelles by international partners.
The ADF also contributes to counter-piracy efforts off the coast of Somalia through the deployment of an Adelaide Class Guided Missile Frigate, which is flexibly cross-tasked between the US-led Combined Maritime Forces Combined Task Forces on counter terrorism, counter-piracy and maritime security.
Australia is hosting an international counter-piracy conference in Perth from 15 to 17 July.
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