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An SH-60B Seahawk helicopter disrupted two attempts to attack the vessel
By Bernard Lugongo
The Unites States Navy made a dramatic intervention to rescue a Tanzanian ship and seized eight of the marauding Somali pirates, who attempted to hijack the vessel on Sunday, it was revealed in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
The American military, which is part of an international force fighting piracy in the Indian Ocean, rescued the Tanzanian vessel following a brazen confrontation with the pirates.
Piracy off the coast of Somalia has become a nightmare for the shipping industry for several years now, with scores of vessels, including oil tankers overpowered and commandeered into hiding until hefty ransoms are paid.
Had the attack succeeded, this would have been the first vessel from Tanzania to be hijacked by the ransom seeking pirates, who have made hundreds of millions of dollars from their illegal activities along the war-ravaged country's coastline and beyond.
The American Embassy in Dar es Salaam broke the news of the Tanzanian ship's encounter with the Somali pirates in a press statement released yesterday.
According to the embassy, the suspects were seized during a counter attack and taken aboard a US warship patrolling the Indian Ocean.
The director of criminal investigation (DCI), Mr Robert Manumba, said his office was aware of the hijack attempt and was following up the matter. He promised to issue more information later.
A combat helicopter, SH-60B Seahawk, from the US warship, USS Farragut, fired shots at the pirates' speedboat to rescue the vessel and managed to arrest the suspected pirates.
According to the embassy, the Tanzanian flagged ship, mv Barakaale 1, had been attacked twice before the rescue team arrived. We could not immediately establish were vessel was heading to.
The US Navy said the crew of the Tanzanian vessel had successfully fought off the pirates in the Gulf of Aden before help arrived.
The team from the Navy's 5th Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, responded after it was signaled for help from the international anti-pirate task force. This was immediately after the pirates tried to board the Tanzanian vessel from a skiff.
The helicopter took off the warship and gave chase to the pirate skiff, firing warning shots across its bow, thus bringing it to a halt. Sailors from the USS Farragut then boarded the pirate vessel and seized the eight men on board.
The SH-60B Seahawk is specifically built for the US Navy, based on the Blackhawk transport and assault helicopter, widely used by the American Army since the late 1980s.
Equipped with radar and leading edge Sonar equipment, the SH-60 is a safeguard against the underwater threat, providing anti-submarine protection for aircraft carriers, thanks to its latest generation armament of torpedoes and depth charges.
The Farragut is part of Combined Task Force 151, a multinational task force established in January 2009, to conduct counter piracy operations.
It operates under a mission based on a mandate to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy in order to protect global maritime security and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all nations.
It operates in the Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia, patrolling more than 8.6 million square kilometres of international waters to conduct both integrated and coordinated operations to increase the security in the region.
The embassy said the Combined Maritime Force was working to defeat terrorism, prevent piracy, reduce illegal trafficking of people and drugs, and promote the maritime environment as a safe place for those with legitimate business.
The force includes three dozen ships from Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, Canada, Denmark, Turkey, the US and United Kingdom, as well as other naval forces and personnel from several other nations.
Although the number of piracy attempts has increased over the past year, the number of successful attacks has been reduced by 40 per cent over, according to the statement.
24 February 2010
23 February 2010
U.S. Navy rescues Tanzanian ship, nabs 8 pirates
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NAIROBI (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy warship prevented an attack on a Tanzanian ship and apprehended eight suspected pirates in the process, the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania said on Tuesday.
USS Farragut dispatched an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter to MV Barakaale 1 after it raised a distress call saying it was under attack from a gang on a skiff, the embassy said in a statement.
"The helicopter then stopped the ... skiff as it attempted to speed away, by firing warning shots across its bow," it said.
"A boarding team from USS Farragut boarded the vessel and the eight suspected pirates were taken aboard the Farragut."
The statement did not say when and where the incident occurred, nor give the pirates' nationalities. The USS Farragut is a guided missile destroyer and part of Combined Task Force 151 that patrols the Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia.
The task force, formed in 2009, comprises about three dozen ships from Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, Canada, Denmark, Turkey, United States and United Kingdom among other countries.
The coast off Somalia is among the world's most dangerous shipping lanes.
The number of piracy attacks worldwide jumped by 40 percent last year, with gunmen from the failed Horn of Africa state accounting for more than half the 406 reported incidents, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
NAIROBI (Reuters) - A U.S. Navy warship prevented an attack on a Tanzanian ship and apprehended eight suspected pirates in the process, the U.S. Embassy in Tanzania said on Tuesday.
USS Farragut dispatched an SH-60B Seahawk helicopter to MV Barakaale 1 after it raised a distress call saying it was under attack from a gang on a skiff, the embassy said in a statement.
"The helicopter then stopped the ... skiff as it attempted to speed away, by firing warning shots across its bow," it said.
"A boarding team from USS Farragut boarded the vessel and the eight suspected pirates were taken aboard the Farragut."
The statement did not say when and where the incident occurred, nor give the pirates' nationalities. The USS Farragut is a guided missile destroyer and part of Combined Task Force 151 that patrols the Gulf of Aden and the east coast of Somalia.
The task force, formed in 2009, comprises about three dozen ships from Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Pakistan, Canada, Denmark, Turkey, United States and United Kingdom among other countries.
The coast off Somalia is among the world's most dangerous shipping lanes.
The number of piracy attacks worldwide jumped by 40 percent last year, with gunmen from the failed Horn of Africa state accounting for more than half the 406 reported incidents, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
20 February 2010
17 February 2010
Somali pirates on board St James Park open fire on navy vessel
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In an incident with the UK-flagged ship St James Park, abducted by Somali pirates on which five Bulgarian sailors are aboard, pirates opened fire from the deck and that of an adjacent ship against a navy vessel, presumed to be a US ship, international media reported.
Reportedly more than 70 "large" calibre rounds were fired at the navy vessel before it finally altered course. The navy vessel did not engage and no fire was returned, reports say. The incident occurred at Garacad at the North-Eastern Somali coast, on February 16 2010.
St James Park, a chemical tanker, carrying hazardous cargo from a port in Spain to Thailand, was seized on December 29 2009. On board there is a 26-member crew, including nationals of Bulgaria, Russia and Turkey.
Reportedly, on February 3 2010, it was revealed that the pirates had evaluated the chemical tanker and its cargo at three million US dollars – their asking price for the safe return of the vessel and crew.
According to reports in international media, the pirates managed to escape even though a French frigate was nearby at the time of the ship's seizure.
All members of the crew are reported to be safe.
In an incident with the UK-flagged ship St James Park, abducted by Somali pirates on which five Bulgarian sailors are aboard, pirates opened fire from the deck and that of an adjacent ship against a navy vessel, presumed to be a US ship, international media reported.
Reportedly more than 70 "large" calibre rounds were fired at the navy vessel before it finally altered course. The navy vessel did not engage and no fire was returned, reports say. The incident occurred at Garacad at the North-Eastern Somali coast, on February 16 2010.
St James Park, a chemical tanker, carrying hazardous cargo from a port in Spain to Thailand, was seized on December 29 2009. On board there is a 26-member crew, including nationals of Bulgaria, Russia and Turkey.
Reportedly, on February 3 2010, it was revealed that the pirates had evaluated the chemical tanker and its cargo at three million US dollars – their asking price for the safe return of the vessel and crew.
According to reports in international media, the pirates managed to escape even though a French frigate was nearby at the time of the ship's seizure.
All members of the crew are reported to be safe.
16 February 2010
Contain Somalia’s problems to spare Yemen
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Three hijackings by pirates already this year highlight the profound weakness of the international naval force tasked with patrolling the waters along the coast of lawless Somalia. Pirates kidnapped and now hold at least 100 crewpersons from just those ships—and over 300 hostages since April. The pirates’ release Thursday, after receiving a ransom, of the 30-person crew of a Taiwanese fishing boat, held for 10 months, again puts the issue into the headlines.
Three hijackings by pirates already this year highlight the profound weakness of the international naval force tasked with patrolling the waters along the coast of lawless Somalia. Pirates kidnapped and now hold at least 100 crewpersons from just those ships—and over 300 hostages since April. The pirates’ release Thursday, after receiving a ransom, of the 30-person crew of a Taiwanese fishing boat, held for 10 months, again puts the issue into the headlines.
Pirates free Taiwan ship, 3 crew dead: watchdog
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NAIROBI — Somali pirates on Thursday freed a Taiwanese trawler they had used as a "mother ship" to attack other vessels during a 10-month ordeal that three crew did not survive, a maritime watchdog said.
The Win Far 161, hijacked on April 6 last year near the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean, was freed for a "relatively small ransom", said a statement by Ecoterra International, an environmental NGO monitoring maritime activity in the region.
The Win Far was the longest-running case of Somali piracy.
The tuna long-liner was used as a "mother ship" from which to attack other vessels and two Indonesians and one Chinese among the original crew of 30 died during their last month of captivity, Ecoterra said.
"The three died of malnutrition, disease and neglect over the course of the last month," Ecoterra said, adding that the hostages' respective authorities did not provide any assistance in attempts to facilitate humanitarian relief.
The Win Far 161 was hijacked by pirates who used another hijacked boat -- the Seychellois catamaran Serenity -- and was in turn used to attack more ships, including the US-flagged Danish-owned Maersk Alabama.
Ecoterra said that the Taiwanese ship had been fishing illegally.
"The tuna long-liner had been observed earlier to fish illegally in Somali waters," the statement said, explaining that the ship belonged to a fleet known to be involved in poaching tuna for the Japanese market.
The Taiwanese vessel had most recently been held off the village of Garaad, one of the main pirate lairs in Somalia's northern semi-autonomous state of Puntland.
"Villagers in Garaad reported that all the money received was immediately snatched by the shop-keepers and others to whom the pirate group was indebted," the statement said.
The fishing vessel's release reduced to 10 the number of foreign vessels still held by pirates, together with close to 200 seamen.
Pirates on Tuesday freed an Indian-operated ship and its a crew of 26 after receiving a ransom of 3.1 million dollars.
Somalia's marauding sea bandits hijacked 68 ships in 2009 and raked in an estimated 60 million dollars in ransom money.
Somali pirates release fishing vessel
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MOGADISHU, Somalia, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Somalipirates have released a Taiwanese fishing ship held captive for nearly 10 months, European Union naval forces said.
The hijackers left the vessel Thursday and the ship's crew took control, the EU forces said in a release. The Win Far 161 was hijacked April 6 about 160 miles from the Seychelles Islands.
The 700-ton ship had a crew of 30 -- 17 Filipinos, six Indonesians, five from mainland China and two from Taiwan, China's state-run news agency, Xinhua, reported Friday. Three crew members died while in captivity, Andrew Mwangura, a coordinator with the Africa Seafarers Assistance Program, told Xinhua.
Mwangura could not confirm whether a ransom was paid to secure the vessel's release.
MOGADISHU, Somalia, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Somalipirates have released a Taiwanese fishing ship held captive for nearly 10 months, European Union naval forces said.
The hijackers left the vessel Thursday and the ship's crew took control, the EU forces said in a release. The Win Far 161 was hijacked April 6 about 160 miles from the Seychelles Islands.
The 700-ton ship had a crew of 30 -- 17 Filipinos, six Indonesians, five from mainland China and two from Taiwan, China's state-run news agency, Xinhua, reported Friday. Three crew members died while in captivity, Andrew Mwangura, a coordinator with the Africa Seafarers Assistance Program, told Xinhua.
Mwangura could not confirm whether a ransom was paid to secure the vessel's release.
11 February 2010
Somali Pirates Free Taiwanese Fishing Boat - Voice of America
Somali Pirates Free Taiwanese Fishing Boat - Voice of America: "
 BBC News | Somali Pirates Free Taiwanese Fishing Boat Voice of America Taiwan's Foreign Ministry says Somali pirates have freed a Taiwanese fishing boat held since last April. The Win Far 161 and its crew were released Thursday ... Somali pirates free Taiwanese fishing boatBBC News Pirates free Taiwan ship, 3 crew dead: watchdogAFP Somali Pirates Letting Illegal Fishing Run Wild?Discovery News Newstime Africa -RTT News -Bangkok Post all 118 news articles » |
04 February 2010
03 February 2010
Modern Day Pirate Blog
Modern Day Pirate
Great blog by Daniel Sekulich, author of Terror on the Seas. I have two copies of the book!
Great blog by Daniel Sekulich, author of Terror on the Seas. I have two copies of the book!
Pirates Feast On Gamblers
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February 3, 2010: An analysis of the ships captured by Somali pirates last year found that most of them had ignored recommended security measures, while passing through the Gulf of Aden, or elsewhere along the Somali coast. About a quarter of the merchant ships moving through this danger zone just take their chances. The odds aren't bad. About one in 500 ships passing through the area are captured by pirates. But closer to one in a hundred are attacked or threatened. The pirates have learned to seek out the unprepared merchant ships, knowing that these will be easier to get aboard and capture. Thus these ships that are just playing the percentages, have a higher risk (closer to one in 200) or being captured. The precautions ships can take are costly, time consuming and an extra burden for the crew. The costly measures include moving through pirate infested waters at the highest possible speed. This can cost several thousand dollars more per hour. Ships are also advised to zig zag in pirate waters, that can cost you an extra few hundred dollars an hour, and demands more attention from the crew. Other preparations include stringing barbed wire around likely boarding points, and practicing the use of fire hoses and other tools (like long poles) to keep the ladders or grappling hooks from enabling the pirates to get aboard. Crews are also advised to prepare a "safe room" (an area of the ship the crew can barricade themselves in, if they have to, until help arrives.) There should be emergency communications available in the safe room, so that help can be summoned before the pirates figure out how to get in. The most common safe room solution is barricading the crew in the engine compartment.
All these precautions take time and money. For ships that regularly travel past Somalia, the effort and expense are worth it. But for ships that pass by infrequently, there is a tendency to just take your chances.
For most of the past decade, the pirates preyed on foreign fishing boats and the small, sometimes sail powered, cargo boats the move close (within a hundred kilometers) of the shore. During that time, the pirates developed contacts with businessmen in the Persian Gulf who could be used to negotiate (for a percentage) much larger ransoms with insurance companies and shipping firms. The pirates also mastered the skills needed to put a grappling hook on the railing, 30-40 feet above the water, of a large ship. Doing this at night, and then scrambling aboard, is more dangerous if the ship has lookouts, who can alert sailors trained to deploy high pressure fire hoses against the borders. Thus the increase vulnerability of those ships that just take their chances.
February 3, 2010: An analysis of the ships captured by Somali pirates last year found that most of them had ignored recommended security measures, while passing through the Gulf of Aden, or elsewhere along the Somali coast. About a quarter of the merchant ships moving through this danger zone just take their chances. The odds aren't bad. About one in 500 ships passing through the area are captured by pirates. But closer to one in a hundred are attacked or threatened. The pirates have learned to seek out the unprepared merchant ships, knowing that these will be easier to get aboard and capture. Thus these ships that are just playing the percentages, have a higher risk (closer to one in 200) or being captured. The precautions ships can take are costly, time consuming and an extra burden for the crew. The costly measures include moving through pirate infested waters at the highest possible speed. This can cost several thousand dollars more per hour. Ships are also advised to zig zag in pirate waters, that can cost you an extra few hundred dollars an hour, and demands more attention from the crew. Other preparations include stringing barbed wire around likely boarding points, and practicing the use of fire hoses and other tools (like long poles) to keep the ladders or grappling hooks from enabling the pirates to get aboard. Crews are also advised to prepare a "safe room" (an area of the ship the crew can barricade themselves in, if they have to, until help arrives.) There should be emergency communications available in the safe room, so that help can be summoned before the pirates figure out how to get in. The most common safe room solution is barricading the crew in the engine compartment.
All these precautions take time and money. For ships that regularly travel past Somalia, the effort and expense are worth it. But for ships that pass by infrequently, there is a tendency to just take your chances.
For most of the past decade, the pirates preyed on foreign fishing boats and the small, sometimes sail powered, cargo boats the move close (within a hundred kilometers) of the shore. During that time, the pirates developed contacts with businessmen in the Persian Gulf who could be used to negotiate (for a percentage) much larger ransoms with insurance companies and shipping firms. The pirates also mastered the skills needed to put a grappling hook on the railing, 30-40 feet above the water, of a large ship. Doing this at night, and then scrambling aboard, is more dangerous if the ship has lookouts, who can alert sailors trained to deploy high pressure fire hoses against the borders. Thus the increase vulnerability of those ships that just take their chances.
Somali pirates demand $15M ransom for Asian Glory
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The Somali pirates who abducted the UK-flagged ship Asian Glory have demanded a $15 million ransom, the Bulgarian news agency (BTA) reported on February 3 2010.
The statement, which first surfaced in Ukrainian media, was allegedly attributed to a Ukrainian intelligence source who wished to remain anonymous.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry said that diplomats had contacted the owner of the ship which ferries 2305 Korean-made cars from Singapore bound for Saudi Arabia. The negotiations with the pirates were reportedly "dynamic", while the condition of all men on board the ship was said to be good.
There are eight Bulgarians on board Asian Glory among the 25 crew, which also includes 10 Ukrainians, five Indians and two Romanians.
Allegedly, the 15-million ransom includes the "insurance of the ship and the value of the cargo – all vehicles included". As far as the other UK flagged ship St James Park, with five Bulgarians on board, which only ferries chemicals, the pirates asked for "only three million dollars".
"Both ships are supplied with fresh water, food, and fuel. The crews are fine and are not deprived of their basic needs," spokesperson of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry Dragovest Goranov was quoted as saying on February 2.
Asian Glory was seized while ferrying cars off the Somali coast. She was boarded by pirates late on January 1 2010. This was the second seizure within five days of a ship managed by Zodiac.
Earlier, on December 29, Somali pirates hijacked the St James Park, a UK-flagged chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden with five Bulgarian sailors on board.
The Somali pirates who abducted the UK-flagged ship Asian Glory have demanded a $15 million ransom, the Bulgarian news agency (BTA) reported on February 3 2010.
The statement, which first surfaced in Ukrainian media, was allegedly attributed to a Ukrainian intelligence source who wished to remain anonymous.
The Ukrainian foreign ministry said that diplomats had contacted the owner of the ship which ferries 2305 Korean-made cars from Singapore bound for Saudi Arabia. The negotiations with the pirates were reportedly "dynamic", while the condition of all men on board the ship was said to be good.
There are eight Bulgarians on board Asian Glory among the 25 crew, which also includes 10 Ukrainians, five Indians and two Romanians.
Allegedly, the 15-million ransom includes the "insurance of the ship and the value of the cargo – all vehicles included". As far as the other UK flagged ship St James Park, with five Bulgarians on board, which only ferries chemicals, the pirates asked for "only three million dollars".
"Both ships are supplied with fresh water, food, and fuel. The crews are fine and are not deprived of their basic needs," spokesperson of the Bulgarian Foreign Ministry Dragovest Goranov was quoted as saying on February 2.
Asian Glory was seized while ferrying cars off the Somali coast. She was boarded by pirates late on January 1 2010. This was the second seizure within five days of a ship managed by Zodiac.
Earlier, on December 29, Somali pirates hijacked the St James Park, a UK-flagged chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden with five Bulgarian sailors on board.
02 February 2010
Somali Pirates Say They'll Play Robin Hood in Haiti
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(Feb. 1) -- Hordes of private-sector aid groups fighting to alleviate the disaster in Haiti may soon be joined by some motley new allies: pirates.
Somali pirates have vowed to redistribute some of the millions of dollars they have stolen in the past few years to those suffering from the earthquake in Haiti, reports Agencia Matriz del Sur, a Spanish-language Web site that says it seeks to counter the media influence of wealthy countries. Somali pirates often divide their booty and distribute it to family and local citizens -- a tactic also used by American gangs to develop community goodwill.
With language worthy of Errol Flynn's schmaltziest "Robin Hood" moments, an unnamed spokesman for the pirates accused the United States and Europe of having "no moral authority" to distribute aid, telling Agencia Matriz del Sur that "they have been the ones pirating mankind for many years."
Somali pirates may have a considerable amount of cash to distribute, as well. As recently as Jan. 13, authorities gave out a record $5.5 million bounty on a captured Greek tanker. Pirates had a record year in 2009, attacking 214 ships and hijacking 47, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
In the years since they have become active, Somali pirates have garnered a huge amount of media attention, prompting several investigative articles and even a "South Park" episode. In April, the BBC ran an interview with Dahir Mohamed Hayeysi, a 25-year-old pirate who painted a heroic but troubled image of himself and his colleagues.
"Thousands of young desperate Somalis continue to risk their lives in the sea in search of a better life abroad," he told the BBC. "So it is no surprise to see us in the same water, pirating in search of money -- there is no difference. We have local support; most of the people here depend on pirates directly or indirectly."
The outpouring of media attention demonstrates the particular hold that the noble outlaw -- he might be a pirate, a gangster, a cowboy or an ex-Marine inhabiting a 10-foot-tall blue alien -- has on the popular consciousness. Announcements of Somali pirate attacks came while the country was watching Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow, but the idea of the honorable, romantic pirate dates back at least to 1814 with Lord Byron's "The Corsair."
The Somali pirates' announcement suggests that they are keen to keep that image alive in popular culture. Their charity claims may have little value beyond the literary, however. According to pirate leaders, "connections in various parts of the world" will ensure that they are capable of delivering aid without detection or, conveniently, accountability.
Somali pirates have vowed to redistribute some of the millions of dollars they have stolen in the past few years to those suffering from the earthquake in Haiti, reports Agencia Matriz del Sur, a Spanish-language Web site that says it seeks to counter the media influence of wealthy countries. Somali pirates often divide their booty and distribute it to family and local citizens -- a tactic also used by American gangs to develop community goodwill.
With language worthy of Errol Flynn's schmaltziest "Robin Hood" moments, an unnamed spokesman for the pirates accused the United States and Europe of having "no moral authority" to distribute aid, telling Agencia Matriz del Sur that "they have been the ones pirating mankind for many years."
Thomas Mukoya, AFP/Getty Images
Somali pirates have stolen millions of dollars in recent years, but one pirate leader said some of the take will go to help earthquake survivors in Haiti. Here, a Somali militant talks on his phone at a United Nations food distribution center in Mogadishu in 2006.
Somali pirates may have a considerable amount of cash to distribute, as well. As recently as Jan. 13, authorities gave out a record $5.5 million bounty on a captured Greek tanker. Pirates had a record year in 2009, attacking 214 ships and hijacking 47, according to the International Maritime Bureau.
In the years since they have become active, Somali pirates have garnered a huge amount of media attention, prompting several investigative articles and even a "South Park" episode. In April, the BBC ran an interview with Dahir Mohamed Hayeysi, a 25-year-old pirate who painted a heroic but troubled image of himself and his colleagues.
"Thousands of young desperate Somalis continue to risk their lives in the sea in search of a better life abroad," he told the BBC. "So it is no surprise to see us in the same water, pirating in search of money -- there is no difference. We have local support; most of the people here depend on pirates directly or indirectly."
The outpouring of media attention demonstrates the particular hold that the noble outlaw -- he might be a pirate, a gangster, a cowboy or an ex-Marine inhabiting a 10-foot-tall blue alien -- has on the popular consciousness. Announcements of Somali pirate attacks came while the country was watching Johnny Depp as Capt. Jack Sparrow, but the idea of the honorable, romantic pirate dates back at least to 1814 with Lord Byron's "The Corsair."
The Somali pirates' announcement suggests that they are keen to keep that image alive in popular culture. Their charity claims may have little value beyond the literary, however. According to pirate leaders, "connections in various parts of the world" will ensure that they are capable of delivering aid without detection or, conveniently, accountability.
Filed under: World
Ransom paid for cargo ship held by Somali pirates
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OGADISHU (Reuters) - A ransom for the release of the cargo ship MV Filitsa has been delivered to pirates on board the vessel off the Somali coast, a regional maritime official and pirate sources said on Monday.
Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East African Seafarers Assistance Programme said helicopters dropped the agreed ransom, but the vessel was now in the hands of another group of gunmen.
As ransoms paid to Somali pirates spiral higher, competition between rival gangs has been growing. A dispute in January over the biggest ever payoff to Somali pirates for a Greek-flagged oil tanker sparked gunbattles at sea and on land.
"The choppers dropped the money. But the ship is still being held captive by another group of gunmen," Mwangura said.
A pirate on board the MV Filitsa told Reuters they were expecting to receive $3 million for the Marshall Islands-flagged cargo ship, which was seized in November with crew from Greece and the Philippines.
"Two helicopters carrying the agreed $3 million ransom are flying over the ship and all the shareholders are onboard awaiting the ransom," a pirate called Rage told Reuters, adding that they planned to release the vessel at around midnight.
Worldwide, piracy attacks rose nearly 40 percent in 2009, with Somali pirates accounting for more than half of the 406 reported incidents, according to the International Maritime Bureau. Typically, the pirates hold the captured ships and crews hostage until ransoms are paid.
Somali pirates abandon hijacked Indian dhow and crew, board another hijacked ... - The Canadian Press
Somali pirates abandon hijacked Indian dhow and crew, board another hijacked ... - The Canadian Press: "
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Somali pirates abandon hijacked Indian dhow and crew, board another hijacked ... The Canadian Press NAIROBI, Kenya — The European Union's anti-piracy force says Somali pirates have abandoned an Indian-flagged dhow they had held for more than two weeks. ... MSV FAIZE OSAMANI FREED BY SOMALI PIRATESAustralia.TO all 102 news articles » |
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01 February 2010
UN: Anti-piracy Measures Help In Bringing Down Successful Pirate Attacks
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(RTTNews) - Anti-piracy measures have contributed considerably in bringing down successful pirate attacks off the Somali coast, said a senior official linked to the UN-backed EU anti-piracy mission off Somalia.
"The number of attacks has gone up; the number of successful attacks has gone down," Captain Paul Chivers, chief of staff of the EU naval forces, told a news conference. "It would be dangerous to assume we have overcome the threat. We need to be careful of complacency."
He said the proposed anti-piracy measures for ships include the registration of the destination and route of the vessels with the international forces operating in the region and other self protection measures designed to prevent pirates from getting on board.
Chivers said that the self protection measures that can be used by ships to prevent pirates from climbing on board included fencing with barbed wire and pieces of wood at ship entries, charged fire hydrants and zig-zagging courses for ships at sea.
"Most of these things, besides barbed wire, are found on ships" Chivers said. "The more a ship is able to deny pirate entry onto their vessel, the quicker we can get a warship or helicopter to them."
(RTTNews) - Anti-piracy measures have contributed considerably in bringing down successful pirate attacks off the Somali coast, said a senior official linked to the UN-backed EU anti-piracy mission off Somalia.
"The number of attacks has gone up; the number of successful attacks has gone down," Captain Paul Chivers, chief of staff of the EU naval forces, told a news conference. "It would be dangerous to assume we have overcome the threat. We need to be careful of complacency."
He said the proposed anti-piracy measures for ships include the registration of the destination and route of the vessels with the international forces operating in the region and other self protection measures designed to prevent pirates from getting on board.
Chivers said that the self protection measures that can be used by ships to prevent pirates from climbing on board included fencing with barbed wire and pieces of wood at ship entries, charged fire hydrants and zig-zagging courses for ships at sea.
"Most of these things, besides barbed wire, are found on ships" Chivers said. "The more a ship is able to deny pirate entry onto their vessel, the quicker we can get a warship or helicopter to them."
(RTTNews) - Anti-piracy measures have contributed considerably in bringing down successful pirate attacks off the Somali coast, said a senior official linked to the UN-backed EU anti-piracy mission off Somalia.
"The number of attacks has gone up; the number of successful attacks has gone down," Captain Paul Chivers, chief of staff of the EU naval forces, told a news conference. "It would be dangerous to assume we have overcome the threat. We need to be careful of complacency."
He said the proposed anti-piracy measures for ships include the registration of the destination and route of the vessels with the international forces operating in the region and other self protection measures designed to prevent pirates from getting on board.
Chivers said that the self protection measures that can be used by ships to prevent pirates from climbing on board included fencing with barbed wire and pieces of wood at ship entries, charged fire hydrants and zig-zagging courses for ships at sea.
"Most of these things, besides barbed wire, are found on ships" Chivers said. "The more a ship is able to deny pirate entry onto their vessel, the quicker we can get a warship or helicopter to them."
(RTTNews) - Anti-piracy measures have contributed considerably in bringing down successful pirate attacks off the Somali coast, said a senior official linked to the UN-backed EU anti-piracy mission off Somalia.
"The number of attacks has gone up; the number of successful attacks has gone down," Captain Paul Chivers, chief of staff of the EU naval forces, told a news conference. "It would be dangerous to assume we have overcome the threat. We need to be careful of complacency."
He said the proposed anti-piracy measures for ships include the registration of the destination and route of the vessels with the international forces operating in the region and other self protection measures designed to prevent pirates from getting on board.
Chivers said that the self protection measures that can be used by ships to prevent pirates from climbing on board included fencing with barbed wire and pieces of wood at ship entries, charged fire hydrants and zig-zagging courses for ships at sea.
"Most of these things, besides barbed wire, are found on ships" Chivers said. "The more a ship is able to deny pirate entry onto their vessel, the quicker we can get a warship or helicopter to them."
Cambodian vessel not hijacked, held by Somali court: official
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MOGADISHU, Jan. 30 (Xinhua) -- A Cambodian-flagged cargo ship that was reported to have been seized by Somali pirates is held by a local court in northwestern Somalia, an official statement said Saturday.
It was widely reported in local and international media that the Cambodian ship was hijacked by Somali pirates after offloading commercial goods in Berbera, a port town in the breakaway state of Somaliland.
However, the statement from the Berbera Port Authority said the local court in Berbera ordered the detention of MV Layla-S after a local businesses man filled a law suit against the company owning the ship, following the destruction of the businessman's goods in a fire on another ship of the company, MV Mairiam Star.
"On Sep. 15, 2009, the MV Layla-S was detained by Local Court of Berbera after it was accused by the merchant for goods of estimated cost of 250,000 U.S. dollars," said the statement.
The statement expressed dismay that the incident was misreported in the media and said owner of the ship was notified of the case.
Earlier on Saturday, Andrew Mwangura, a regional maritime official in Kenya, also confirmed that the hijacked Cambodian cargo ship is being held off Berbera port by businessmen owing to a deal which has gone sour and not pirate attack.
Mwangura, East Africa's Coordinator of Seafarers Assistance Program, said the MV Layla-S which was seized on Wednesday has 14 crew members on board from Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Somalia and Syria.
Piracy is rampant in the southern part of the war-torn Somalia where dozens of ships and hundreds of crew are being held for ransom by local pirate gangs.
The breakaway state of Somaliland which proclaimed its independence from the rest of Somalia 1991 enjoys relative peace and has its separate government, parliament, security forces, flag and currency although it has not received international recognition since.
Somalia: Pirates Hold Couple for Nearly 100 Days - AllAfrica.com
Somalia: Pirates Hold Couple for Nearly 100 Days - AllAfrica.com: "
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