Lucky Francis

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Lucky Francis (born 1982), also known as Luckythe Pirate (Danish: Piraten Lucky), is a Nigerian national who became known in Denmark after an armed confrontation with the Danish frigate HDMS Esbern Snare in the Gulf of Guinea in 2021. During the incident, he was seriously injured, had one leg amputated, and was subsequently transported to Denmark, where he was prosecuted. The case received considerable political and public attention, particularly due to the decision not to deport him after the verdict. [1]

Contents

Background

Danish counter-piracy strategy gives more background.

Danish shipping's counter-piracy strategy is necessary as Denmark operates one of the world's five largest shipping nations in terms of operated fleet, [2] controlling around 10% of global shipping. [3] At any given time, there are approximately 70 Danish-controlled ships in the Indian Ocean and 30 ships in the Gulf of Guinea. [4] This makes piracy in these areas a significant concern for the Danish shipping industry and for the Danish state. In 2012, when Somali piracy was at its height, the piracy cost of Danish shipping was estimated to be between 130 and 260 million Euros. [5]

Esbern Snare incident

Esbern Snare, the frigate Francis on 24 November 2021 attacked, was wounded by and detained on Esbern Snare BALTOPS 2010c cropped.JPG
Esbern Snare, the frigate Francis on 24 November 2021 attacked, was wounded by and detained on

In November 2021, HDMS Esbern Snare was in the Gulf of Guinea as part of Denmark's military counter-piracy efforts. The frigate intercepted a dinghy with armed individuals heading towards several merchant ships. [6]

During a boarding operation, pirates opened fire on a RHIB boat manned by soldiers from the Frogmand Corps. The Danish soldiers returned fire. In the firefight, four pirates were killed. No Danish soldiers were injured, but the RHIB boat was hit by gunfire. [6]

Four pirates survived and were detained aboard the Esbern Snare. The incident took place approximately 25–30 nautical miles (46–56 km) south of Nigeria's territorial waters. FSeveral experts criticised Defence Minister Trine Bramsen for poor planning. [7] [8]

Wounds and medical treatment

Lucky Francis was seriously injured during the firefight. His injuries were assessed as life-threatening, and an emergency operation was performed aboard the frigate, where one leg was amputated. On board the frigate, Lucky contracted an infection that required another operation. [9] During the operation, there was a lack of hospital equipment, and the operation took place without sterile surgical gowns for everyone. [10] The book Piratjagt stated that the serious infection and subsequent operation could possibly have been avoided if all medical equipment had been available, which the then ship's commander Lars Povl Jensen denied. [11]

Due to his health condition, he was subsequently flown to Denmark for further treatment in hospital. [12] As of January 2023, he had not yet received a leg prosthesis. [13] DR described that the authorities could not agree on who should pay for the prosthesis. [14] He was granted a leg prosthesis in June 2023, while he was in Center Sandholm. [15] [16] [17] The Telegraph wrote that he had entered into a special agreement with the government. [18]

Prosecution in Denmark

Vestre Faengsel, where Francis was held in custody for 384 days Vestre Faengsel aerial.jpg
Vestre Fængsel, where Francis was held in custody for 384 days

Lucky Francis was charged in a Danish court for, among other things, endangering the lives of Danish soldiers during the armed confrontation. [19] He was held in custody at Vestre Fængsel during the case. [20] The three other surviving pirates were dropped from the charges and released near the coast of Nigeria. [21] He arrived at Vestre Fængsel's infirmary on 7 January 2022 and the name ban was lifted on 21 November 2022. [22] Francis pleaded not guilty and explained during a court hearing that the case was about 'Big money'. [23]

The court found Francis guilty, but did not sentence him to a prison sentence. He was found guilty under section 252(1) of the Danish Penal Code on endangerment. [24] The decision placed emphasis on his serious health condition after the amputations and on proportionality considerations, including the fact that the other pirates had not been prosecuted. [25] In August 2024, the Copenhagen City Court refused to award him compensation. The State Prosecutor for Serious Crime (SSK) and the Attorney General had previously also refused. [26]

Residence permit and asylum

In February 2023, he applied for asylum in Denmark. [27] After the verdict, Lucky Francis was granted a residence permit in Denmark in January 2024. [28] Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, "By God, I can neither explain nor defend that. It's a shameful matter. It's a pain. I don't think he belongs in Denmark." [29] Francis himself said about his situation, "I don't want to go back and live the life I lived before. It's too physically demanding, I'm not capable of that with only one leg." [30]

According to the authorities, he could not be sent to Nigeria due to health reasons and Denmark's international obligations. He was also included in a possible integration and rehabilitation effort, including Danish language instruction and employment-oriented offers to upgrade his qualifications for the Danish labour market. [31] Several Danish politicians criticised these offers. [32] [33]

References

  1. ↑ "Fokus på krigsskibe i pirateribekæmpelse overskygger problemer med retsforfølgelse". DIIS (in Danish). Archived from the original on 2023-01-03. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  2. ↑ "Formodede pirater fængslet i 13 dage - sigtet for drabsforsøg" (in Danish). avisen.dk. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  3. ↑ Larsen, J., & Nissen, C. (2017). Learning From Danish Counter-Piracy Off the Coast of Somalia. Danish Institute for International Studies. Copenhagen: Danish Institute for International Studies. Retrieved from https://pure.diis.dk/ws/files/1236845/Report_10_Somalia_piracy_WEB.pdf
  4. ↑ Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. (2019). Priority paper for the Danish efforts to combat piracy and other types of maritime crime 2019-2022. Copenhagen: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark
  5. ↑ Smed, Ulrik Trolle. (2015). Small States in the CGPCS: Denmark, Working Group 2, and the End of the Debate on an International Piracy Court. Cardiff: Cardiff University
  6. 1 2 "Formodede pirater fængslet i 13 dage - sigtet for drabsforsøg". www.avisen.dk (in Danish). 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  7. ↑ Mencke, Mathias (2022-11-26). "Danmark drog ud for at jagte pirater på fjerne verdenshave. Og kom hjem med etbenede Lucky". Zetland (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  8. ↑ "Formodede pirater fængslet i 13 dage - sigtet for drabsforsøg" (in Danish). avisen.dk. 25 November 2021. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  9. ↑ "Afslører nye detaljer: Der manglede vigtigt medicinsk udstyr, da Lucky fik benet amputeret". DR (in Danish). 2024-02-08. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  10. ↑ "Forsvaret: Esbern Snares sterile operationskitler sad fast i tolden i Ghana". DR (in Danish). 2024-02-09. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  11. ↑ "Afslører nye detaljer: Der manglede vigtigt medicinsk udstyr, da Lucky fik benet amputeret". DR (in Danish). 2024-02-08. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  12. ↑ "Lucky fik amputeret sit ben på dansk fregat: Et år efter venter han stadig i uvished". DR (in Danish). 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  13. ↑ Lindegaard, AfAnders DallLasse (2023-01-13). "Styrelse i Lucky-sagen har endnu ikke sat gang i forløb om benprotese". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  14. ↑ "Lucky fik amputeret sit ben på dansk fregat: Et år efter venter han stadig i uvished". DR (in Danish). 2023-01-13. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  15. ↑ Bjerregaard, Dan; Fischer, Sune (2023-06-13). "Dømt pirat har fået nyt ben". B.T. (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  16. ↑ Christie, Olivia (2024-10-10). "Denmark pays for prosthetic leg for Nigerian pirate shot by its navy". Mail Online. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  17. ↑ "Denmark pays for prosthetic leg of Nigerian pirate who attacked its navy". Newsweek. Archived from the original on 2025-10-28. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  18. ↑ "Access Restricted". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  19. ↑ "Formodede pirater fængslet i 13 dage - sigtet for drabsforsøg". www.avisen.dk (in Danish). 2021-11-25. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  20. ↑ Eiby, Tine (2023-01-05). "Luckys historie". Weekendavisen (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  21. ↑ Munk, Amalie Schroll (2024-01-24). "Danmark spillede med musklerne på verdenshavene. Nu har en et-benet pirat fået opholdstilladelse". Zetland (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  22. ↑ værd, Af Torsten Ruus Husk den gode tone! På Ekstra Bladet lægger vi stor vægt på at have en tæt dialog med jer læsere Jeres input er guld; turde, og mange historier ville ikke kunne lade sig gøre uden jeres tip Men selv om vi også har tradition for at; Tier, Når Andre; mene, værner vi om en sober og konstruktiv tone Du må; Vil, Hvad Du; Henvendelser, Men Vi Accepterer Ikke; Chikanerende, Der Er; politianmeldt, hadefulde eller krænkende overfor vores medarbejdere Sådanne henvendelser vil blive blokeret og registreret af Ekstra Bladet og evt (2022-11-21). "Familiefar tiltalt i piratsag: Her er etbenede Lucky". Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  23. ↑ "Heldet var ikke med etbenede Lucky i Københavns Byret". Politiken - Den levende avis (in Danish). 2022-12-04. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  24. ↑ Larsen, Jessica (2023-01-03). "Danmark skal lære af anklagemyndighedens mislykkede sag imod den etbenede »pirat« Lucky". Berlingske (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  25. ↑ "Pirat kendt skyldig i at forvolde fare for danske soldater | Anklagemyndigheden". anklagemyndigheden.dk. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  26. ↑ Ritzau. "Amputeret pirat får ikke erstatning for over et års fængsling". Kristeligt Dagblad (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  27. ↑ "Piratsagen: Lucky har nu søgt asyl i Danmark". DR (in Danish). 2023-02-12. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  28. ↑ "Etbenet pirat har fået dansk opholdstilladelse - TV 2". nyheder.tv2.dk (in Danish). 2024-01-23. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  29. ↑ Tofte/ritzau, AfLine Rønn (2024-01-23). "Statsministeren kan 'ved Gud ikke forsvare', at etbenet pirat har fået opholdstilladelse". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  30. ↑ Venzel, Didde (2023-02-14). "Piratsag er endt som asylsag: »Jeg vil ikke tilbage og leve det liv, jeg levede før. Det er alt for fysisk krævende«". Jyllands-Posten (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  31. ↑ Astrup, Peter (2024-10-09). "Etbenet afrikansk pirat får nu integrationsplan: Sådan skal han blive dansker". B.T. (in Danish). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  32. ↑ "Nigerianischer Pirat bekommt nach Angriff auf dänische Fregatte Aufenthaltsstatus - WELT". DIE WELT (in German). Retrieved 2025-12-30.
  33. ↑ "Dänemark: Nigerianischer Pirat soll integriert werden". bild.de (in German). 2024-10-11. Retrieved 2025-12-30.
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