Pirates...

The Russians are more than capable of taking care of business and ending this, perhaps quietly, perhaps noisily. The concern should be about having the war ships of all these countries in such close proximity. Hope that the permissions have been given for the ships to communicate with each other at a direct local level rather than relayed through their individual governments. As to the final destination of the arms aboard the Faina: No weapon in Africa has a permanent address on it.

As to the final destination of the arms aboard the Faina: No weapon in Africa has a permanent address on it.


So true.

Hi,

They have taken another ship.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081011/ap_on_re_af/af_somalia_piracy;_ylt=Al_8027Cd3vjo_jZ1Fqku8TjOrgF

Hi,

It is not quite Custers Last Stand but the Indians have come to the rescue of one ship.

Article is from Economic times India..

NEW DELHI: The Navy on Tuesday foiled attempts by Somalian pirates to hijack an Indian merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden, infested by
heavily-armed pirates.

The warship patrolling the area detected the cargo vessel’s SOS and set off a swift operation to rescue the merchant vessel and escort it to safety.

Mumbai-based Great Eastern Shipping Co’s Jag Arnav, a 38,000 ton bulk carrier, had crossed the Suez Canal when it was attacked by pirates who surrounded the vessel in small boats. The Indian warship, INS Tabar, sent “an armed helicopter with marine commandos... to intervene and prevent” the hijacking, a statement by the Indian Navy said.

In its first counter-piracy mission, India had decided to deploy a ship in the region to rescue vessels in distress in troubled waters which provide a vital trade route. The move was prompted by the hijack of a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden and a spate of attacks by pirates from Somalia, which is caught up in Islamic insurgency, and other African countries.

A Japanese-owned merchant vessel carrying a 22-member crew, including 18 Indians, was hijacked by Somali pirates last month in the Gulf of Aden. This followed protests by the sailors’ families.

The defence ministry had said the warship was being sent to instil confidence among sailors. More than 90% of India’s foreign trade by volume and 77% by value is shipped through the region, mainly through the Suez Canal.

Tuesday’s attack took place at 10.30 am, when the ship was 60 nautical miles east of Aden, according to reports at the Mumbai-headquarters Western Naval Command (WNC). However, the statement did not specify how many crew members were aboard the vessel or their nationality.

According to the International Maritime Bureau, 199 incidents of piracy or attempted piracy have been reported world-wide from January to September this year of which 63 were in the busy Gulf of Aden and off the Somali coast.

As many as twelve vessels remain the in hands of pirates along with over 200 crew. While NATO had sent three ships to the Gulf of Eden, the European Union has dispatched at least four warships backed by aircraft which will begin patrolling in December.

They got a big new one this time

Hi,

They have seized the biggest and newest one to date carrying 25% of one days output from Saudi Arabia.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4764693a12.html

It was also captured a long way out to sea and south of where other attacks have taken place according to the article.

President Obama's first war

Somali pirates. Something has to be done about these people. Russia is getting too much good press from their intervention and the Brits seem not to care...

Hi,

Britain has tirned into such a nanny state these days that it is impossible for the Royal Navy ( RN) to really take an active role in smoking these people over.

In one of the links above there is a section where it says that if the RN intervenes and shoots them that would be seen as a violation of the Pirates civil rights, if they are captured alive and taken aboard a RN Vessel then they ( the Pirates) can claim asylum in the UK.

The rate that historically the UK has opened their doors to terrorists and other undesirables who they refuse to send back to their own countries if they might be tortured or suffer the death penalty gives any new radical asylum applicants a 90% chance of success.

If they don't get in legally they will most likely be able to stay there anyway as it seems that the Immigration service just release the failed applicants into society and tell them when to leave.... of course none of them do. They don't even deport them when they have done time for serious violent crimes.

Can we please stop Brit bashing,
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/wor...ead-Somali-pirates-try-hijack-cargo-ship.html
This is from 13/11/08, The British have started some anti-piracy action, assisted by (or witnessed by) the Russians.

Hi,

I would hope you are not referring to my post above as Brit bashing- I am merely writing about what is a known and well reported in the UK and elsewhere.

Go to the news agents down by the Bar d'Port and buy yourself a couple of English Papers- they make depressing reading at best most of the time.

In case you can't make it here is some current news that demonstrates the sad state of affairs in the UK.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/new...mmigrants-who-have-never-reached-Britain.html

Pirates in Somalia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7734733.stm

THE PIRATES ARE CERTAINLY GETTING BOLDER IN THEIR QUEST!!!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7623329.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7358764.stm

The Barbary Pirates, though discriminating against Christians, were businessmen, much like the Mafia. It was reported that ransom rates were set at a fixed price: $4,000 for a passenger, $1,400 for a cabin boy. In the coastal towns of Salem, Newport, and Boston, the names of those who were captured by the Barbary Pirates were read aloud each Sunday in the churches, just as those who were lost at sea. Most of the ransom had to be raised privately, as Congress was unable or unwilling to pay the full asking price.

By 1800 a new slogan was beginning to appear across the new country, "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute."

In 1815, U.S. Congress (finally) authorized Commodores Decatur & Bainbridge, each with his own squadron, to open up an industrial-sized can of Whoop-@ss on the bad guys...

After the conclusion of the Napoleonic wars, which ended in 1815, inspired by America's example, Great Britian and Holland ended their policies of appeasement by bombarding Algier's fleet and fortresses. Franch began it's long colonial relationship with North Africa by conquering Algiers and making Tunis and Morocco protectorates. Italy overthrew the Bashaw of Tripoli and formed the new state of Libya.

As T.R might have put it, Time for the Big Stick.....?

Hi,

The Indians got one.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article5186821.ece

Has anyone ever heard of a "device" that could be ordered with or retrofitted on a yacht that could be considered a "defensive system" to protect the yacht and it's passengers from on-sea dangers ..... i'm sure there are a number (international) of legality issues here ... i guess it doesn't have to be a potentially lethal form of defense ......

A "Sound Defense"

There are some who believe the LONG RANGE ACOUSTIC DEVICE or LRAD is such a defensive, non-lethal device. You might check with the developer - American Technology Corporation (http://www.atcsd.com/site/). It is supposed to use directed sound (think narrow beam more like a laser directs light, not what one gets from a loud speaker) to transmit either audible voice commands or annoying sounds at very high decibels as far as 500 meters. Search for LRAD and "Seabourn Spirit" and you should find a story about the cruise ship's crew using one during an attack from pirates.

Hi,

An ex Shipmate of mine who is a Master Mariner fromhis days in the Tanker business was recently at a demonstration of a LRAD at a military establishment with a view to out fitting a large yacht with one or some.

He said that they were ineffectual as shown and he would not waste the clients money buying them himself.

On another note the Indian Navy action against the Pirate Mothership has gained some interesting support.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081120/ap_on_re_as/piracy

More on lrad

I have no personal experience with the LRAD, just passing on what I have read or seen in video. By chance there is an article in Section B of the December 2008 issue of the Triton that quotes some stats from the US Navy. "...the LRAD was used in Bahrain 410 times, according to U.S. Navy data. Of those, 338 times or 82 percent of the time, approaching vessels immediately diverted." Certainly a non-lethal weapon will not deter everyone, but it may be able to help minimize a situation. The Triton is a print newspaper available in many large yachting ports or may be viewed online after a free registration.

To be clear, a few years ago LRAD was required to be reclassified as a "nuisance" device downgraded from a "defensive" weapon.

Maritime security escorts for individual vessels is unrealistic due to the pure volume of traffic coupled with the large area of operations.

The simple, cost efficient and effective is to have a small, properly armed security detachment on each vessel with authority to repel boarders with force, ie., shoot to kill.

Word will travel fast after the first boatload of thugs are wasted and the pirates will miraculously cease to be a problem.

Hi,

Very well said Stan.

Hopefully the red tape and faces that seem to baulk at this suggestion will see sense and get some action going down this track.

A concerted effort for a couple of months would probably work wonders down there.

Has anyone ever heard of a "device" that could be ordered with or retrofitted on a yacht that could be considered a "defensive system" to protect the yacht and it's passengers from on-sea dangers?

Seems to me like a 50 cal. machine gun or two would work well.
Time to pull out all the stops and for countries to let mariners carry the means to defend themselves.

"Crew of 25 slain in firefight with pirates", "Stew kills captain with 50 cal., says oops". These are headlines we haven't read yet. The best defensive weapon is the radio and pressure on the professionals to TCB as they now seem to be starting to do.