Boats from British frigate encircle pirate dhow prior to shoot out in which two pirate suspects were killed
November 12, 2008
The U.K. Royal Navy looks to be taking advantage of new rules of engagement that allow it to be "more robust" in dealing with pirates. It has shot and killed two of them. Here's the official version of events from the U.K. Ministry of Defense.
HMS Cumberland whilst conducting routine Maritime Security Operations in the Gulf of Aden on November 11, had course to board a Yemeni flagged dhow, towing a skiff which they had reason to believe had been involved in an attack on the Danish-registered MV Powerful earlier in the day.
Various non-forcible methods had been used in an attempt to stop the dhow but they were unsuccessful. Sea boats were launched to circle the dhow in an attempt to encourage it to stop-- these boats were fired at from the dhow and the crews returned fire in self defense. The dhow crew subsequently surrendered and a compliant boarding followed. It was then clear that two personnel, believed to be pirates, had been shot and killed.
A Yemeni national was also found injured and later died, despite receiving emergency treatment from the ship's doctor. It is unclear whether his injuries were as a result of the firefight or a previous incident involving the pirates.
An MOD spokesman said:
"Yesterday a crew from the frigate HMS Cumberland boarded a foreign flagged dhow, believed to be Yemeni, which had been positively identified in an earlier hijacking attempt on a Danish vessel. Prior to boarding, boats launched by Cumberland to intercept the dhow were involved in an exchange of fire. Two foreign nationals, believed to be Somali pirates, were shot and killed in self defense. A Yemeni national was also found injured and later died, despite receiving emergency treatment from the ship's doctor. It is unclear whether his injuries were as a result of the firefight or a previous incident involving the pirates. As with all shooting incidents, a post shooting incident investigation is currently being conducted."
TURKISH SHIP TAKEN
In a separate incident, however, pirates succeeded in hijacking a Turkish-flag chemical carrier, the Karagol, with 14 crew aboard, 16 miles off Aden. Though another Turkish owned ship, the Yasa Neslihan, is already being held by the pirates, the Karagol is the first Turkish ship flying the national flag to be seized. It is owned by YDC Denizcilik A.S., a company in which ruling AK Party Istanbul deputy Hasan Kemal Yardimci reportedly has an interest.
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