Thagarr's Pirate News!

[Thagarr]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Freed AHTS was used as pirate mother ship</b>

A Nigerian owned, Panama-flagged AHTS once identified as a pirate "mother ship" has been released.

The Yenegoa Ocean, held by Somali pirates for 10 months is now being escorted by the Royal Netherlands Navy ship De Seven Provinciën which is providing medical and other assistance to the 11 man all-Nigerian crew.

The release of the Yenegoa Ocean may provide answers to a number of questions.

On September 17, 2008 the ONI published this report:

GULF OF ADEN: Bulk carrier fired upon 23 Aug 08 at 1605 local time, while underway in position 14:11.3N, 050:20.3E, 68NM southeast of Al Mukalla, Yemen. The master of the vessel reported that it had been fired upon and there were shots on the bridge. The master requested immediate assistance from the coalition authorities. An aircraft arrived at the scene and the piracy tug boat (possibly the mother-ship) and the speedboats stopped firing. The ship is reportedly safe. Reported description confirms that the pirate vessel being used is the (YENAGOA OCEAN) (IMB, Operator, UKMTO).

Yenegoa Ocean is owned by ESL Integrated Services of Nigeria and was either en route to, or had just arrived at, Mogadishu, Somalia on August 4, 2008 when it was seized.

Built by Hall Russell in Aberdeen, the vessel was delivered to Tidewater, Inc. as the Spartan Tide, back in 1975. In 2000, it was purchased by Nico Middle East, which operated it as the Nico Shindagha. ESL Integrated Services bought it from Nico last year and the vessel was on its delivery voyage from Dubai to Somalia. The captain had requested permission to berth in Mogadishu as a crew member required medical attention.

The Yenegoa Ocean was also reported in January as being the site of a gun fight among the pirates were holding it. According to the report, four of the pirates died. The vessel had been moved from Hawo to Caluula in readiness to receive a ransom, but the negotiations apparently provoked squabbling that escalated into a shoot out.

De Seven Provinciën -- one of the six ships of Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 (SNMG1) engaged in anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden -- received word at 21.00 Friday that the AHTS had been freed and at 5.30 local time Saturday put a boarding team on it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMMIX/2009jun00060.html" target="_blank">http://www.marinelog.com/DOCS/NEWSMMIX/2009jun00060.html</a>

 

[Thagarr]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>U.S. Navy says pirates extend activity into Red Sea</b>
Tue Jun 9, 2009 12:13pm EDT

MANAMA, June 9 (Reuters) - Pirates in the Gulf of Aden are increasingly operating at night and could expand their raids into the Red Sea, the U.S. Navy said on Tuesday

The Bahrain-headquartered Fifth Fleet said it had warned merchant vessels about changes in pirates' tactics following bad weather and the stepped-up presence of international navies.

A navy statement said a confirmed pirate attack took place at the southern end of the Red Sea at the end of May and ships should be cautious when transiting through the area.

Pirates operating off the coast of Somalia have also expanded their forays into an area stretching to the Seychelles Islands to avoid foreign navy ships in the Gulf of Aden, a shipping lane connecting Asia with Europe.

"Pirates have also recently increased their number of attacks during the hours of darkness, highlighting the need for heightened vigilance of merchant mariners during both day and night time transits through the high risk areas," the U.S. Navy said.

Piracy has flourished in recent months off the coast of Somalia, with seaborne gangs seizing several cargo ships for millions of dollars in ransom. (Reporting by Frederik Richter; Editing by Angus MacSwan)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL91041732" target="_blank">http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL91041732</a>

 

[Thagarr]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Captain of Italian ship held by pirates off Somalia’s coast pleads for rescue</b>


Mogadishu, 10 June 2009 (Somalilandpress) - Report on telephone interview with Mario Iarloi, captain of Italian tug Buccaneer seized by pirates off Somali coast, in Las Qorey, Somalia, by Massimo A. Alberizzi in Nairobi; date not given: “‘Rescue Us or We Will Die of Privation”

Nairobi - [This is the account of] a dramatic phone call with Mario Iarloi, captain of the Buccaneer, the Italian ship seized by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden on 11 April while it was towing two empty barges. The vessel, owned by Ravenna-based company Micoperi Marine Contractors, is riding at anchor of Las Qorey, a fishing village in Puntland, in the northern part of the former Italian colony.

Living conditions are tragic, and the high-sea tug’s crew (10 Italians, a Croat, and five Romanians) feels left in the lurch. Several sailors are sick, and they are all on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Six of the 16 sailors have been taken ashore and probably distributed among various villages along the coast, in order to hide them in the event of an unlikely swoop by Italian special troops. So it is going to be more difficult to get them back when the time comes for their release. Their names are not known.

“Rescue us or we will ask them to shoot us,” the captain said in despair, in a voice that sounded as though it were hoarse with tears. He went on: “We are falling ill; some people are suffering from depression, others from heart condition; there are no medical supplies. Medical supplies arrived some time ago (one of the crew members suffers from a heart condition - Corriere della Sera editor’s note) but in this never-ending story the drugs are almost finished. I am not a medic; there are no medics; I cannot treat people when I do not even know what is ailing them, or else I would have to treat them just by looking them in the eye. Or noticing that they are losing their minds. They no longer manage to speak like reasonable people. In fact, I am losing my reason too.”<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Rest of the story here :
<a href="http://somalilandpress.com/6250/captain-of-italian-ship-held-by-pirates-off-somalias-coast-pleads-for-rescue" target="_blank">http://somalilandpress.com/6250/captain-of...eads-for-rescue</a>

 

[Thagarr]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>US navy hands over 17 suspected pirates to Kenya</b>


MOMBASA, Kenya (AFP) — The US Navy on Wednesday handed over 17 suspected Somali pirates to Kenya, taking the total number held in the east African nation to 101, police said.

The suspects were detained in the Gulf of Aden in a joint operation by US and South Korean navies on May 13 as they tried to attack an Egyptian vessel, the MV Amira.

"The suspects resisted arrest but the US marines managed to overpower them," said Sebson Wandera, a Coastal province criminal investigation officer.

Wandera said the latest group brought the total number of suspected and convicted Somali pirates on Kenyan soil to 101.

Over the past year, Nairobi has signed deals with several major naval powers to allow the transfer of suspected Somali pirates to Kenyan courts.

Ten out of the 101 pirates have already been convicted and sentenced to a seven year jail each.

With holding cells running out of space in the port city of Mombasa, the new arrivals will be transferred to Malindi, a coastal town north 130 kilometres (80 miles) north of Mombasa.

Up to 20 foreign warships patrol the pirate-infested waters off the Somali coast to safeguard major shipping lanes at any given time.

Pirates currently hold at least 14 ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, along with more than 200 seamen.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gFDjeiv0DCKDffvJEQFM0IPT1c8w" target="_blank">http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/artic...fvJEQFM0IPT1c8w</a>

 

[Fred Bob]

When they be a makin' a reality TV show o' Somali fishermen, Thagarr?! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/poet.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":hmm" border="0" alt="poet.gif" /> Iqbal, Akbar, an' Abdul go a fishin'! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/huh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh" border="0" alt="huh.gif" />

 

[Thagarr]

Actually, there is a new reality series coming up on Spike TV called Pirate Hunter: USN. I like your title better though Fred Bob, I think it's a lot catchier! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> Maybe they could have a companion series teaching cooking for the hungry "fisherman", 14 ways to serve Goat meat spaghetti!


I saw this about a month ago, but I hate reality TV so I didn't mention it.

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>SPIKE GOES PIRATE HUNTING WITH THE US NAVY IN 'PIRATE HUNTERS: USN'</b>
Released by Spike TV

Spike Goes Pirate Hunting With the US Navy in 'Pirate Hunters: USN'

US Navy To Allow Embedded Access To Spike And 44 Blue Productions In Fight To End Threat Of Real-Life Pirates Terrorizing Coast Of Africa

NEW YORK, April 13 -- The recent dramatic increase in piracy off the coast of Africa has made news headlines around the world and now Spike TV has partnered with the Emmy Award-winning reality production house 44 Blue Productions ("The True Story of Black Hawk Down," "Lockup") and Adam Friedman ("Vertical Ascent") for production on the pilot "Pirate Hunters: USN" (working title), an up-close and behind-the-scenes look at the US Navy operation to end this deadly threat of piracy in the Gulf of Aden.

"We are thrilled to be front and center with the Navy on such an important mission," says Sharon Levy, senior vice president, original series for Spike. "The access we have will really give our viewers the kind of heart-stopping action they have come to expect from Spike programming."

These often-violent hijackings off the coast of eastern Africa not only pose a grave threat to the lives of sailors taking cargo through the region, but are also starting to add an exorbitant amount to the cost of worldwide trade. Now, television viewers will be able to see this dramatic, tension-filled and high-stakes military mission first-hand.

"Piracy off the coast of Africa is a real and deadly threat," said Rasha Drachkovitch, president and founder of 44 Blue Productions. "With 'Pirate Hunters: USN,' our goal is to capture that drama for the TV audience in order to highlight the heroic work undertaken by the US Navy every day in this fight against terrorism."

The US Navy is allowing Spike and 44 Blue Productions in-depth access as they embark on their mission from the military base in the seaside nation of Djibouti (bordering Somalia and Ethiopia) and on the open water. Cameras will capture every element of life aboard two US warships, the USS San Antonio and USS Boxer, as they patrol 1.1 million square miles of ocean for the pirates who call this region home.

Drachkovitch and award-winning producer Adam Friedman will serve as executive producers. Sharon Levy and Tim Duffy are the executives in charge of production for the pilot for Spike TV.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original press release here :
<a href="http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?date=04/13/09&id=20090413spiketv01" target="_blank">http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?da...090413spiketv01</a>

 

[Thagarr]

This has got to be the most disturbing story I have read so far in my coverage of pirate news. These "fisherman" are indeed nothing but lowlife scum!

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Somali pirates prey on refugees</b>
AFP Published:Jun 12, 2009

What is new is the use of refugee boats as human shields

ADEN - When pickings no longer become easy, the highwaymen of the sea fine-tune their tactics. Humanity does not register strongly on the pirate radar unless it can be exploited to turn a profit.

Somali pirates scouting for prey in the Gulf of Aden are now using African refugees fleeing in search of a better life as human shields in a bid to fool patrolling international warships, according to humanitarian agencies.

The phenomenon first surfaced at the beginning of the year, when the international community boosted its naval presence in the vital maritime shipping lane in response to increasing pirate attacks on commercial vessels.

"What is new is the use of refugee boats as human shields," said Francisco Otero Villar, who heads the Spanish section of Doctors without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres, MSF).

Some pirates now resort to tying up their skiffs alongside boats ferrying refugees from Somalia to Yemen and then hiding themselves among the helpless and hapless would-be migrants.

The people traffickers, who are also Somali and reportedly in cahoots with the pirates, then keep a keen lookout for isolated ships vulnerable to attack instead of heading with their human cargo directly towards refuge in Yemen.

Once they locate a likely victim, the pirates board their fast and manoeuvrable skiffs and press home their attack.

"It’s a deal between the smugglers and the pirates," Otero Villar said, adding that four such cases have been reported since the start of 2009.

In such situations, the boats carrying refugees act like a "mother ship" for the pirates.

As a result, the refugees’ voyage to Yemen from the port of Bosasso - the economic capital of the Somali breakaway region of Puntland - which on average takes two days, stretches for much longer, exposing them to even greater risk.

Refugees have reported these incidents to the Spanish section of MSF and other aid agencies, as well as to UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) workers who take care of them after they make landfall in southern Yemen.

"It is difficult to fathom the links between the pirates and the smugglers" who transport desperate refugees in old and ill-equipped boats, said Claire Bourgeois, the UNHCR representative in Yemen.

"One day they’re smugglers, the next they’re pirates," she told AFP.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1016847" target="_blank">http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=1016847</a>

 

[Thagarr]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>
Pirates expand to Oman's waters</b>

A cargo vessel has been hijacked by suspected Somali pirates off the coast of Oman - the first such attack in the area, Nato says.

MV Charelle, under the Antigua and Barbuda flag, was attacked 60 nautical miles south of Sur on the Omani coast.

It was the "first case of armed robbery outside the [pirates'] normal operations area," Lt Cmdr Alexandre Fernandes told Reuters news agency.

The vessel is now thought to be heading towards Somalia.

Lt Cmdr Fernandes, on board a Portuguese anti-piracy patrol near the Gulf of Aden, said the pirates were "probably looking for other areas of operations where there are less patrols by warships".

See map of how piracy is affecting the region and countries around the world

There was no information about the number of crew or their nationalities.

This week, the US Navy warned that Somali pirates were expanding their range of operations far beyond the East African coast.

One attack has been confirmed on a ship as far north as the Red Sea. The gangs have also extended their raids down beyond the Seychelles.

The pirates were able to strike further away from the coast with the help of bigger mother ships, said the US Navy.

Somalia has been without a stable government since 1991, allowing piracy to flourish.

More than 30,000 vessels annually transit the pirate-plagued Gulf of Aden and the busy shipping lane has offered rich pickings for raiders.

The gangs are currently holding 14 ships and more than 200 seamen in the region.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8098365.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8098365.stm</a>

 

[Thagarr]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>NATO to Send Six-Ship Force to Fight Somali Piracy</b>


By James G. Neuger and Gregory Viscusi

June 12 (Bloomberg) -- NATO will send more naval firepower to fight piracy off the coast of Somalia, agreeing to dispatch six ships to protect sea lanes that handle a tenth of the world’s trade.

A “short gap” may ensue between the departure of the current five-ship fleet on June 28 and the arrival of the new task force in July, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization said after defense ministers endorsed the deployment today.

“NATO will continue to participate in the mission and it might well be that the mission will be beefed up,” Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer told a Brussels press conference.

Patrolling a swathe of water about four times the size of France, warships from NATO, the European Union and countries including Russia and China have battled 114 pirate attacks so far this year, more than in all of 2008.

Put on the defensive by the naval buildup, the pirates have started attacking at night and may be moving from the Gulf of Aden to the southern Red Sea to prey on commercial vessels, the U.S. Navy warned this week.

Armed gangs have seized 29 merchant ships this year, making the seas off violence-scarred Somalia -- lacking a functioning government for almost two decades -- the world’s most treacherous.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Rest of the story here :
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=aDrNR9WdkqGQ" target="_blank">http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...id=aDrNR9WdkqGQ</a>

 

[Old Salt]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Current NATO rules require captives to be treated according to the laws of the country of the ship that seized them.

Under that legal authority, Dutch- and Canadian-flagged warships were forced to set captive pirates free.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Stop letting them go! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pirate3.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="2" border="0" alt="pirate3.gif" />

 

[Thagarr]

Yup, catch and release ...it's just waste of time and effort. Weapons are so readily available there it's ridicules! They can restock as easily as me going to the store for milk and eggs, there is an endless supply. Here is a fascinating article I ran across a few days ago :

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Arms dealers revel in Somali war business</b>

Hargeisa, 10 June 2009 (Somalilandpress) - Sitting on a mat at home between taking orders for arms on his two mobile phones, Osman Bare gives thanks for the riches flowing from Somalia’s war.

“I have only been in the weapon business five years, but I have erected three villas. I have also opened shops for my two wives,” said the 40-year-old, one of about 400 Somali men operating in Mogadishu’s main weapons market.

“Peace means bankruptcy for us.”

Despite a U.N. arms embargo on Somalia, the Horn of Africa nation is awash with weaponry from all over the world that has fueled one of Africa’s longest-running conflicts.

In the latest cycle of civil war, militant Islamists have been fighting the Somali government for the last two years and 18,000 civilians have been killed in the crossfire.

Weapons are captured, sold and recycled constantly between both sides, experts say. Many arms have come from Ethiopian soldiers who intervened in Somalia between 2006 and early 2009.

African Union peacekeepers have been accused of trafficking arms, and regional bodies say Eritrea — among others — is funneling weapons toward the rebels.

Weapons are also said to pour across the porous borders of Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia, arriving by plane and through seas infested by pirates who are themselves armed to the teeth.

The Mogadishu arms market is just one part of an illicit global arms bazaar.

According to Geneva-based research body Small Arms Survey, there are at least 640 million firearms in the world, one for every 10 people on the planet.

Only a third of these are in the hands of armies or law enforcement agencies, the rest dispersed among non-state militia groups or the general population.

Dealers like Bare say the main Irtogte market, within the sprawling Bakara commercial area of Mogadishu, is holding its largest stock ever, and gunrunners are rolling in money.

The risks of being robbed, cheated or shot are high, however, and prices fluctuate greatly. They are at a low right now due to the abundance of supply.

“The good thing is that our goods are not perishable,” Bare said. “We get a lot of cash, but we are always in terror.”

Dealers say they can be arrested, or even beheaded by the Islamists, if caught outside the market.

“But inside our market, we are cocks. There are hundreds of retailers and wholesalers and each has four well-armed guards.”

<b>BIG PRICE RANGE</b>

He said masked Islamists once picked him up, blindfolded him and took him to a well-known execution house when he was found carrying a U.S. M16 rifle ordered by a pirate. As he was being beaten by gun-butt, a friend with good contacts in the al Shabaab insurgent movement came and rescued him.

“The government is better than Islamists — they do not kill people. They take your property and jail you only for few days,” Bare said.

While Islamists come to the market for purchases, traders said, arms are delivered to government and other buyers.

“We dismantle weapons and then secretly take them to anyone who needs to buy.”

With the exception of pistols from Yemen, North Korean AK-47s, and hand-grenades from government supplies, most arms are second-hand, the dealers said.

One of the cheapest items is an Indian AK-47, at $140 each, but fighters disparage its poor quality compared to the heat-resistant North Korean version ($600) and the light Russian one ($400). At the top of the range of light weapons, the most expensive pistol, Russian-made, goes for $1,000.

Hand-grenades go for $25 each, landmines $100.

There is no shortage of sources for such weapons.

According to a 2006 U.S. Congressional report, about 70 nations produce small arms and light weapons.

Most weapons are legally manufactured in relatively large factories, but many are diverted from their intended destination using false paperwork, according to weapons trade monitors.

In Mogadishu, the arms-dealers are not the only ones benefiting from war.

At $15 for each grave he digs, cemetery worker Ali Osman is in the money every time the death toll goes up.

“Sometimes I dig around 20 graves and stay here till evening,” Osman told Reuters, while burying a baby.

Somali bankers say the more the fighting, the more cash that arrives by wire transfers.

“Last month has been very nice to us,” said one banker, referring to the flare-up in Mogadishu.

The war business also benefits sellers of iron sheets — they are cheaper than wood for coffins.

Garment dealers also have a brisk trade in shrouds.

“Rolls of this material are bought when people die like flies,” shopkeeper Mohamed Abdi said. “But I cannot say I am pleased with death — nature works this way.”

Source: REUTERS<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story of the story here :
<a href="http://somalilandpress.com/6262/arms-dealers-revel-in-somali-war-business" target="_blank">http://somalilandpress.com/6262/arms-deale...li-war-business</a>

 

[Thagarr]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>FACTBOX-Ships held by Somali pirates</b>
Sun Jun 14, 2009 5:35am EDT

June 14 (Reuters) - Suspected Somali pirates seized a German-owned cargo ship off Oman in the Gulf, the first recorded attack in its territorial waters, NATO staff said.

Earlier this month, pirates freed the Yenegoa Ocean, a Nigerian firefighting and supply tugboat seized last August. Here are details of some ships believed to be under pirate control and some facts about the increase in piracy:



JAIKUR-I: Seized Oct. 2, 2008 - The 21,040-tonne general cargo ship was detained after a dispute with the owners over damaged cargo. Most of the 21 crew were released last month.

MASINDRA 7: Seized on Dec. 16, 2008. The Malaysian-owned tugboat, was seized with a barge off the Yemeni coast. The tug has about 11 Indonesian crew.

SERENITY: The catamaran sailing for Madagascar from the Seychelles with three people aboard, was seized in early March.

INDIAN OCEAN EXPLORER: Seized March 2009. The 35-metre boat was built in Hamburg as an oceanographic research vessel. It accommodates about 12 passengers.

HANSA STAVANGER: Seized April 4, 2009. The 20,000-tonne German container vessel was captured about 400 miles off the southern Somali port of Kismayu, between the Seychelles and Kenya. The vessel had a German captain and three Russians, two Ukrainians and 14 Filipinos on board.

WIN FAR 161: Taiwanese tuna boat, seized April 6, 2009.

SHUGAA-AL-MADHI: Seized April 9, 2009, the fishing boat had 13 crew.

MOMTAZ 1: Seized April 10, 2009. The Egyptian fishing vessel was detained with 18 crew.

BUCCANEER: Seized April 11, 2009. The Italian tugboat, owned by Micoperi Marine Contractors, was carrying 10 Italians, five Romanians and a Croatian, and was seized towing two barges while travelling westbound through the Gulf of Aden.

IRENE E.M.: Seized April 14, 2009. The St. Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged Greek-owned bulk carrier was hijacked as it travelled through the Gulf of Aden. Its Filipino crew of 22 was unharmed.

POMPEI: Seized April 18, 2009. The Belgian dredging vessel and its 10 crew were hijacked about 370 miles from the Somali coast en route to the Seychelles. It had two Belgians, four Croatians, one Dutchman and three Filipinos on board.

ARIANA: Seized May 2, 2009. The Ariana was seized north of Madagascar en route to the Middle East from Brazil. The 24-strong Ukrainian crew were said to be unhurt. The ship, flying a Maltese flag, belongs to All Oceans shipping in Greece. A Ukrainian ship was hijacked on the same day in the Indian Ocean with a cargo including U.N. vehicles. Maritime officials were unable to confirm this seizure.

VICTORIA: Seized on May 5, 2009. The Antigua and Barbuda- flagged cargo vessel was hijacked by eight pirates in the Gulf of Aden on its way to the port of Jeddah. The 146-metre ship had a crew of 10.

MARATHON: Seized on May 7, 2009. The 2,575-tonne boat, carrying up to 18 crew, is both owned and registered in the Netherlands. It was carrying coke fuel.

CHARELLE: Seized on June 12, 2009. The 2,800-tonne cargo ship carrying about nine crew, was attacked 60 miles south of Sur on the Omani coast. Lloyds reported the vessel was owned by shipping firm Tarmstedt International.

* PIRACY KEY FACTS:

-- In 2008 there were 293 incidents of piracy against ships worldwide, 11 percent up on the year before. Attacks off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden almost trebled.

-- In 2008, there were 111 incidents including 42 vessels hijacked in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia. So far in 2009, there have been 29 successful hijackings from 114 attempted attacks.

-- The seas off Somalia and Yemen have been the site of a total of 128 attacks so far in 2009, of which 44 resulted in successful hijacks according to Ecoterra. -- Nearly 20,000 ships pass through the Gulf of Aden each year, heading to and from the Suez Canal.

Sources: Reuters/Ecoterra International/International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Centre/Lloyds List/Inquirer.net<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLE866252" target="_blank">http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLE866252</a>

 

[Thagarr]

For those of you with access to the Discovery Channel, this Sunday June 21'st the Discovery channel will be airing a documentary about the Maersk-Alabama!

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Discovery Channel's SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY Documents Never-Before-Told Stories Behind Dramatic Maersk Alabama Pirate Standoff</b>

Discovery Channel's SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY Documents Never-Before-Told Stories Behind Dramatic Maersk Alabama Pirate Standoff

- Comprehensive Special Features New Footage of U.S. Navy's Decisive Response, First-Ever Accounts from Maersk Alabama's Crew and Exclusive Footage From Military Channel Production Crews Aboard U.S. Navy Vessels Leading Counter-Piracy Operations -

SILVER SPRING, Md., June 15 /PRNewswire/ -- This past April, news of U.S. Navy snipers bringing a swift end to the Somalia pirate standoff captivated the world's attention. After failing to seize the Maersk Alabama, the three remaining Somali pirates were dramatically shot dead while holding Captain Richard Phillips hostage aboard a powerless lifeboat. However, the heroic stories of the Maersk Alabama's crew and the U.S. Navy's courageous maneuvers have not been shared fully, until now. The Discovery Channel and Military Channel have combined forces to tell the complete story in the world premiere special, SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY. This comprehensive special features compelling new footage of the pirates aboard the rogue lifeboat, first-ever broadcast interviews with members of the Maersk Alabama crew, an outline of the U.S. Navy's efforts to successfully rescue Captain Phillips, and exclusive footage shot by Military Channel's embedded crews aboard U.S. Navy ships leading counter-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean. SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY premieres Sunday, June 21, 2009 at 10 PM ET/PT on Discovery Channel. An extended version premieres on Military Channel on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at 9 PM ET.

(Logo: <a href="http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080919/NEF051LOGO-b" target="_blank">http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080919/NEF051LOGO-b</a> )

John Ford, president and general manager of Discovery Channel stated, "The world stopped and watched as the harrowing story of the Maersk Alabama unfolded. This special provides a riveting moment-by-moment account of the ship's story -- from the time the pirates boarded the cargo vessel to the safe return of Captain Phillips -- in an emotional series of first-person interviews with the crew and new footage of the pirates. For the first time, viewers will hear the complete story of what really happened aboard the cargo ship. To be able to showcase the crew's heroism as well as the U.S. Navy's ongoing efforts to keep the waterways safe is an honor and a privilege for Discovery Channel and Military Channel."

Using astounding footage of the pirates aboard the captured lifeboat and in-depth interviews with the men aboard the Maersk Alabama throughout the ordeal, SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY provides a true understanding of the events that led to the dramatic rescue of Captain Richard Phillips. Interviews with some of the Maersk Alabama's crew include First Mate Shane Murphy, Chief Engineer Mike Perry, Second Engineer Richard Matthews, Third Mate Colin Wright and Third Engineer John Cronin. Some interviews, including Chief Engineer Mike Perry's, are crew members' first broadcast interviews where they share their experiences of confronting the pirates and regaining control of their ship. It was Perry who initially turned the tables by single-handedly capturing one of the pirates, who was later held captive by some of the crew including Matthews, Wright and Cronin. After a failed hostage exchange, First Mate Murphy took control of the Maersk Alabama in Captain Phillips' absence and shadowed the pirates until the U.S. Navy could respond to the crisis. Additionally, Vice Admiral William E. Gortney and Rear Admiral Terrence E. McKnight illustrate the U.S. Navy's timeline of events from the Maersk Alabama's initial distress call to the amazing conclusion featuring three simultaneous gunshots fired by U.S. Navy SEAL snipers. Kevin Dockery, Navy SEAL expert and author, discusses the expertise required to coordinate these deadly accurate shots from the fantail of a moving vessel.

"Military Channel is dedicated to honoring the heroes of the U.S. armed forces and there is no better example then this story featuring the men and women of the U.S. Navy who helped bring Captain Phillips home safely," said Clark Bunting, president and general manager of Military Channel. "In partnership with Discovery Channel, SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY showcases the skill and bravery of the U.S. Navy, which is combating the pirates who terrorize the waters off Somalia, in order to ensure the safe passage of vessels through these vital shipping channels."

Beyond this remarkable standoff, SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY also shares how the U.S. Navy currently protects the dangerous seas around the Horn of Africa, where piracy is rampant due to the lawlessness along the coast of Somalia. In March and April, Military Channel crews were embedded aboard the U.S.S. Boxer, the flagship for the Combined Task Force 151 charged with deterring and disrupting piracy activities in this region, and additional vessels within this naval force.

SOMALI PIRATE TAKEDOWN THE REAL STORY was produced by Discovery Studios, in association with Single Malt Media LLC, for Discovery Channel and Military Channel. Christo Doyle is executive producer for Military Channel and Alan Eyres is executive producer for Discovery Channel, with Michael Masland as executive producer for Discovery Studios and Brian J. Kelly as executive producer for Single Malt Media LLC. John Ford is president and general manager of Discovery Channel and Clark Bunting is president and general manager of Discovery Emerging Networks.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

You can read the full press release here :
<a href="http://sev.prnewswire.com/television/20090615/PH3279715062009-1.html#" target="_blank">http://sev.prnewswire.com/television/20090...5062009-1.html#</a>

 

[Old Salt]

<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbs1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":2up" border="0" alt="thumbs1.gif" />

 

[Thagarr]

I will definitely be watching that one Old Salt! If I can remember it's on... <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Japan Eases Restrictions on Navy’s Ability to Fight Pirates</b>

By Sachiko Sakamaki

June 19 (Bloomberg) -- Japan’s parliament eased restrictions on the navy’s use of weapons to fight pirates off the coast of Somalia and allowed warships to come to the aid of other country’s vessels.

The legal change better allows two Japanese warships deployed to the Gulf of Aden in March to assist international efforts to curb pirate attacks and hijackings. The vessels, which each carry about 200 crew members, were previously authorized to protect only Japanese passengers and cargo.

Japan’s constitution prohibits the use of force to resolve international disputes and its military hasn’t engaged in combat since World War II. Today’s vote gives the navy more freedom to fire on approaching pirates in self-defense if they ignore warnings.

The more powerful lower house approved the bill by a vote of 335-132 after the upper house rejected it this morning. Lawmakers from the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, who hold the most seats in the upper chamber, say Japan’s Coast Guard should be in charge of fighting piracy.

Piracy attacks off Somalia’s coast rose to 111 cases in 2008 from 44 in 2007, according to Japan’s foreign ministry. Three of the incidents involved ships either owned by Japan or carrying Japanese crew and cargo. Prime Minister Taro Aso’s government also sent two reconnaissance aircraft to the Gulf of Aden in May to join more than 20 nations performing patrols.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601101&sid=azyI6kzC7bVA" target="_blank">http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...id=azyI6kzC7bVA</a>

 

[Stallion]

<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/unsure.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":?" border="0" alt="unsure.gif" /> Japan has obeyed that part of its constitution all this time? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_eek.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="icon_eek.gif" /> Wow.

 

[Thagarr]

Yup, they have Stallion! They did however invade the US and kick our asses economically! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

 

[Stallion]

<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> True. I think "Our Dear Leader" might do something about that, though. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/yes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="yes.gif" />

 

[Thagarr]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Reports: Russian warship seizes vessel with 29 suspected pirates off Somali coast</b>

MOSCOW — Russian news agencies, citing the nation's Defense Ministry, say a Russian warship has seized a vessel with 29 suspected pirates on board off the coast of Somalia.

RIA Novosti and other agencies say a Russian anti-submarine vessel seized the ship on Tuesday along with automatic rifles, pistols and ammunition found on board.

The reports say a Russian tanker fended off an attack by the same group earlier Tuesday.

Russia and other nations patrol the region as part of an international effort to deter pirate hijackings in the busy shipping lane off the Somali coast.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/world/ap/48684802.html" target="_blank">http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/world/ap/48684802.html</a>

 

[Thagarr]

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Pirates say free seven crew from Seychelles yacht</b>
Mon Jun 22, 2009 5:48am EDT


MOGADISHU, June 22 (Reuters) - Pirates in Somalia said on Monday they had freed the seven crew members from Seychelles yacht Indian Ocean Explorer.

Pirates seized the oceanographic research cruiser at the end of March near the Seychelles' island of Assumption, the second vessel flying the Indian Ocean nation's flag to be hijacked.

"We have released the Seychelles crew, they flew this morning," pirate Hassan told Reuters by phone from Haradheere.

Seychelles' minister for the environment, natural resources and transport, Joel Morgan, said on Monday he was in Kenya's capital Nairobi negotiating the release of the crew.

"I can't comment. It's too sensitive at the moment," he told Reuters.

The International Maritime Bureau says more ships have been attacked off Somalia so far in 2009 than in the whole of 2008, but fewer of those attacks have been successful. (Reporting by Abdi Guled in Mogadishu and Richard Lough in Antananarivo, editing by David Clarke)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/africaCrisis/idUSLM26272" target="_blank">http://www.reuters.com/article/africaCrisis/idUSLM26272</a>