French warship seizes huge weapons cache headed toward Somalia

Photo courtesy of Combined Maritime Forces.

The French Battleship Provence discovered and seized a large weapons cache following the boarding of a dhow (a type small sailing vessel) in the northern Indian Ocean on Wednesday.

According to Combined Maritime Forces, The dhow was seen heading toward Somalia by Provence’s Caiman helicopter while the crew was undertaking routine surveillance.

Crew from the Provence boarded the vessel and noted that it was without nationality. Provence crew then searched the vessel where weapons were discovered.

The haul included several hundred AK-47 assault rifles, among other weapons. The weapons were seized under order of a United Nations arms embargo.

The FS Provence was operating as part of the Combined Maritime Forces, conducting maritime security and counter terrorism operations.