Weekly Piracy Report 4 Nov - 10 Nov 2008

Weekly Piracy Report

4 November - 10 November 2008

Suspicious crafts

None reported

Recently reported incidents

• 08.11.2008: 1400 UTC: Posn: 00:48N - 080:07W, Punta Pedernales, Ecuador.

Five armed robbers in a small fishing boat boarded an anchored yacht. They roughed up the crew and stole valuables and yacht's property. With the assistance of another yacht, the incident was reported to USCG Alameda who then contacted the Ecuadorian authorities. The authorities advised the yachts to meet at Punta Galera.

• 01.11.2008: 2205 LT: Posn: 06 19N 003 26E Lagos OPL anchorage: Nigeria.

Two robbers armed with knives boarded an anchored tanker from the stern. They overpowered the duty crew, tied up his hands, stole his walkie-talkie and threatened him that they would kill him if he screamed. The robbers then stole ship’s stores. When duty officer on bridge could not get a response to his routine call on walkie-talkie, he instructed another crewmember to look for him. The second crew noticed the robbers and notified the bridge. Alarm raised, crew alerted. Robbers escaped in their waiting boat.

• 07.11.2008: 1241 UTC: Posn: 12:46N - 045:56E, Gulf of Aden.

Somali pirates hijacked a general cargo ship underway. There was no radio communication or any alarm received from ship. There are 13 crewmembers onboard. Further information waiting

• 07.11.2008:2055 LT: Chittagong anchorage A’, Bangladesh.

Fives robbers boarded an oil tanker at anchorage. Robbers jumped overboard when sighted by ship’s crew. Nothing stolen and no injury to crew.

• 05.11.2008: 0300 LT: Posn: 03:40.8S - 114:26.7E, Taboneo anchorage, Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Four robbers armed with catapults, knives and hacksaws boarded a bulk carrier at anchor. They threatened the duty crew with catapults and stole ship's stores from forward locker. Alarm raised and ship's whistle sounded. Robbers jumped overboard and escaped in a wooden fast boat. Incident reported to coastal authorities.

• 02.11.2008: 1000 UTC: Posn: 13:02N – 046:37E: Gulf of Aden.

A chemical tanker underway sighted one fishing boat – white hull and orange inboard on port bow. One speedboat, which was hidden behind the fishing boat, started to approach the tanker at high speed. The ship crew noticed five men armed with automatic weapons in the boat. Anti piracy measures enforced. Pirates opened fire on tanker. Tanker released foam through foam monitors and fire hoses, which covered the water on both sides of the tanker. Speedboats stopped firing and returned to fishing boat.

The Problem with the Hegemonic View of Piracy

Problem with the Hegemonic view of Piracy
By: Alexandra Sommers
5 Nov 2008

The issue of modern-day piracy has recently reached the news media cycle. Although these attacks have been taking place since the early 1990s, the news media has finally picked up on the pirate attacks. The media however has only chosen to publish information about the Somalia attacks. This is due in part to the ‘scandal’ surrounding the recent attack on MV Faina. (Somali Pirates Seize 33 Tanks) This attack made the news media because of the tanks that are aboard the ships that was hijacked. The hegemonic nature of the news media makes it difficult news to break that is not ‘scandalous’ and ‘sexy.’ The week of 10-23 to 11-02 had 7 attacks reported, one in which the ship was hijacked and the 20 crew was taken hostage. (Weekly Piracy Report) The material on board of this ship is iron ore pellets. This attack was on the same day that CNN reported that five pirate attacks had been thwarted in one day. (Five pirate attacks repelled off Somalia in one day) The pirate attack that happened that day has not been reported on by CNN. Questions to consider are what is the current view of piracy among the masses? Why is there this perception? To understand the common perception of piracy, I believe that it is necessary to look at both the news media coverage of modern-day piracy and to examine popular culture reference to piracy. One such popular cultural reference which I believe has an impact on the perceptions of the American masses is The Pirates of the Caribbean movies. The success and pervasiveness of these movies in American culture is part of the reason why we do not perceive modern-day piracy as a threat. In these movies, the conception of piracy has been romanticized. The cultural understanding of piracy is one of swashbuckling, saving the day type pirates.

Five pirate attacks repelled off Somalia in one day.

Weekly Piracy Report.

Somalia's pirates seize 33 tanks

IMB Piracy Alert

21 Oct 2008

Intelligence sources revealed that there are now three suspicious vessels in the Gulf of Aden believed to be pirate mother vessels looking to attack ships with the intent to hijack.

The description of the suspected trawlers - long white, Russian made stern trawlers with names "BURUM OCEAN or ARENA or ATHENA". One of the trawlers is believed to be operating at approximately 60 NM NE of Bossasso, Somalia in the Gulf of Aden. Also intelligence indicates a blue-coloured tug operating in the same vicinity

The centre has received information that the suspected pirate mother ships are at the following positions:

BLUE-COLOURED TUG: 1159N 05056E at 25 0500 UTC Aug 08

Fishing trawler BURUM OCEAN: 1411N 04951E at 25 0930 UTC Aug 08

Suspected Pirate Mother Vessels:


BURUM OCEAN


BURUM OCEAN


ARENA or ATHENA

Source: Coalition Forces

Weekly Piracy report 23-Oct to 3-Nov

http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

Recently reported incidents

02.11.2008: 0420 LT: Posn: 06 26.57N - 003 23.096E: Berth No. 8, Apapa port, Lagos, Nigeria. Seven robbers boarded a general cargo ship at berth. Robbers broke the forecastle store padlocks but escaped in a waiting speedboat as soon as the alert duty crew noticed them. Local agent and company CSO were informed.

25.10.2008: 0430 LT: Douala port: Cameroon. Robbers boarded a diving support vessel berthed alongside several times. Alert shore security apprehended them. Nothing stolen.

29.10.2008: 1052 UTC: Posn:13:00.15N – 046:40.73E: Gulf of Aden. Pirates armed with automatic weapons in two speedboats opened fire on a bulk carrier underway. The pirates boarded and hijacked the vessel and took the 20 crew as hostage. They then sailed the vessel to an undisclosed location in Somalia. The vessel was carrying a cargo of iron ore pellets from Pointe Noire, Canada to Rizhao, China when it was hijacked.

28.10.2008: 0800 LT: Posn: 13:26N - 048:27E, Gulf of Aden. Pirates in three high-speed crafts approached a tanker underway. Master took evasive manoeuvres, transmitted mayday messages, sounded foghorn and crew mustered. Pirates fired upon the tanker and attempted to board. Master maintained evasive manoeuvres and mayday messages. Pirates aborted the attempt after 10 minutes. Crew and vessel safe.

28.10.2008: 1500 LT: Posn: 12:54N - 046:40E, Gulf of Aden. Twelve pirates in three fast attack boats were noticed departing from a white coloured fishing vessel (pirate mother vessel). Master took evasive manoeuvres, activated SSAS, sent mayday messages and crew mustered in a safe compartment. For five minutes, the pirates aggressively fired towards the accommodation of the tanker and attempted to board. A coalition warship responded to the mayday messages and sent an aircraft to the scene. Master maintained the evasive manoeuvres. The pirates briefly stopped the attack to re-grouped and then attacked again. The aircraft made a very low pass over the pirates and then dropped some ordinance on them. The attempted attack was aborted and the situation became safe. After 20 minutes, a French helicopter arrived to check the situation and master informed them about the pirate mother vessel's location. Crew and vessel safe.

28.10.2008: 1350 UTC: Posn: 13:17.08N - 048: 35.43E, Gulf of Aden. Five pirates in a small fast speedboat approached a general cargo ship underway. Master raised alarm, took evasive manoeuvres and crew activated fire hoses. Pirates fired at the ship with automatic weapons and the crew took shelter. They tried to board the ship using a ladder but the pirate boat's skipper fell overboard and they aborted the boarding and rescued him. Master activated SSAS and contacted the coalition warships. During a second approach to the vessel, the pirate boat's engine failed. A coalition warship responded and advised the master to steer a course towards them. The warship escorted the ship and later the ship resumed voyage. Crew and vessel safe.

23.10.2008: 1737 UTC: Posn: 03:47S – 042:46E: 180nm of Mombasa, Kenya. Pirates in two speedboats chased and fired on a container ship underway. Master took evasive manoeuvres and increased speed. Later, the speedboats aborted. Vessel sustained bullet-hole damages.