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Pacific Fleet warships lead 6th civil convoy through Gulf of Aden

The anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleyev, the tanker Boris Botuma and the rescue tugboat Fotiy Krylov protect civil ships from the pirates

VLADIVOSTOK, December 6 (Itar-Tass) —— The Pacific Fleet warships are leading the sixth convoy of civil ships from various countries – Russia, Liberia, Hong Kong, Norway, India and Italy through the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday. The big anti-submarine ship Admiral Panteleyev, the tanker Boris Botuma and the rescue tugboat Fotiy Krylov protect civil ships from the pirates, the information support group of the press service of the Eastern Military District in the Pacific Fleet reported.

The Boris Butoma tanker visited the Salalah port, where she will replenish the stocks of water, fuel and food for the ships. In the second half of December the Admiral Panteleyev will visit the port of Victoria, the capital of the republic of the Seychelles.

The Pacific Fleet convoy set off from Vladivostok to the Gulf of Aden to participate in an international anti-piracy operation on August 29. During the voyage to the Horn of Africa Russian warships made a courtesy visit to the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville. The visit is timed to the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Cambodia.

Since 2009 this is already the sixth convoy of the Pacific Fleet, which participates in an international anti-piracy operation. Last April the big anti-submarine ship Admiral Vinogradov, the sea tugboat SB-522 and the tanker Pechenga were on combat duty in the Gulf of Aden. The Pacific Fleet convoy was on a combat mission in the Gulf of Aden from December 22, 2010 until April 17, 2011. For this period of time Russian warships have led 14 convoys with merchant ships from various countries through the security corridor.

The Admiral Panteleyev crew has the experience of the struggle against pirates. In 2009 the warship was included in the second Pacific Fleet convoy, which was on duty off Africa. Together with the tanker Izhora and the sea tugboat MB-37 the ship was on combat duty for two months and led six convoys with more than 30 ships under the flags of various countries. The Pacific Fleet warships detained 29 pirates for this period of time.