What would the Royal Navy do if faced with a situation where an act of piracy was taking place or upon encountering pirates?
A – The Royal Navy can take robust action to come to the aid of a victim vessel under attack by pirates in international waters. This can again range from deterring and disrupting the attack to the use of reasonable force to defend the victims. Vessels can be boarded and any piracy equipment can be seized and, if it is not practicable to keep it, destroyed. The Royal Navy is also able to provide assistance in resolving an incident that has involved UK ships or citizens should it be required. In cases in which suspected pirates are detained during operations, if it is considered that there is sufficient evidence on which to charge them they will be detained and transferred under the terms of an arrangement with the Kenyan and Seychelles government for prosecution. Every incident of piracy is different and Royal Navy personnel undergo maritime security training that provides them with the ability to deal with circumstances that require such intervention.
