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.