Thagarr's Pirate News!

[carmenara]

Pretty dark outlook, considering I don't see any news of military innovations, only the pirates getting bolder by the day, no longer constrained to operating in home waters.

I won't be surprised that one day there would be masters of large ships collaborating with pirates, much like the covert German tankers in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans back in the days of U-boats and commerce raiders.

To sidetrack a bit:

What do you think of organisations such as the Sea Shepherds? Yes, I was watching Whale Wars and kind of thought these very daring ladies and gentlemen operate exactly like pirates of olden times and surprisingly, no one ever thought to stop them from engaging "enemy" whaling ships outright. Instead, in 2010 it seems they've gathered a fleet of vigilante ships with rudimentary projectile weapons on board, while Japanese whalers from last year already have been defensively armed with LRAD and military grade nonlethal weaponry. It sounds like a recipe for a maritime version of the Jagged Alliance series of tactical games - private armed individuals going all out against each other in the open.

They appear to be counterpoints to the Somalis, operating with a decidedly goody-two-shoes cause and appear to enjoy great popularity across the Western world. No one minds having these "pirates" and their cause has been greatly strengthened by visuals of Japanese reactions to the Sea Shepherds' aggressive and definitely not very legal tactics.

Who doesn't like watching a black-painted former naval patrol vessel flying the Jolly Roger ram a so-called "Research" vessel murdering whales of the Australian coast?

It's epic, and the show's reviews tell a similar tale despite how the crew of the Steve Irwin exposed themselves to unnecessary danger and made more than a few blunders along the way.

I also believe that the popularity of the Sea Shepherds have contributed in one way or another to the "bad" pirates of Somalia by demonstrating that open war can be waged on the high seas without much in the way of consequence!

 

[Thagarr]

I agree SWS, it definitely looks like the naval flotilla will have to broaden it's scope and reach to have any real success at slowing the spread of piracy. So far, all they seem to have done is push the pirates out farther away from Somalia where they can find easier targets.

That's an interesting prospect, although it wouldn't surprise me if some shipping companies also got in on the action as well as some captains. They could collect money from insurance companies and get a share of the payoff too! Corporations are usually pretty good at working both sides of the fence.

I have seen some of Whale Wars and I am familiar with the Sea Shepherds, it indeed does make for some interesting viewing! I am not all that fond of Paul Watson, or his strategy's though. While I may agree in principle with some of what he is advocating, some of his terrorist type tactics are just taking things a bit to far in my opinion. Placing your own boat between a whale and a harpoon is a bit different than putting the safety of both your crew, and the whaling crew, in jeopardy by outright ramming another vessel. Sometimes I get the feeling that he is exploiting whales for publicity as much as the whalers are for a monetary profit.

The pirate analogy is interesting and indeed things seem to be escalating quite a bit on both sides, it may very well end up in an armed conflict at some point. The laws of the sea are quite different than what they are on dry land, and are usually decided without the pleasantries of courts and lawyers or the formalities of governments. Which, I guess, is why piracy in one form or another has always flourished.

 

[carmenara]

I concur likewise with your points - your projection indicates that there will be a time where governments' control of the seas would be much more of a formality, where the affairs of privately owned organisations dictate what passes for everyday life. It is frightening that on land in a modern metropolis, this has already taken effect a long time ago.

While my professional experience thus far is limited to customer services and the legal aspect of finance, it is shocking to note that in no way in my working life have I ever benefited from the protection of the law, in terms of government legislations and such. I watch people suffer and over a period of time, personalities are totally destroyed by leadership imposed by a few very strong willed (ala Paul Watson esque) individuals, sending very young and impressionable folk to their doom while the veterans look on with a critical eye.

It is only very recently that I amassed enough professional knowledge to counter such exploitation (being a junior in a corporate environment is like sailing an unarmed slow MCS in Somali waters!) and decisively influence the welfare of a predominantly female workforce which has been well used to extreme stress environments generated by neglect and incompetence from those calling the shots.

Of course, being the advocate of change means I'm well used to becoming Public Enemy No. 1, which is why for half my working life things have been extremely dramatic and some would say, I made a lot of foolish decisions as well - just like Captain Watson himself. However, think of this... I'm doing something controversial and no one else dares stand up against the beast, so I need to be dramatic and I need to go full speed ahead and damn the torpedoes because there's just no other way to make a point.

It is trust in leadership that makes such possible - abovementioned youth and naivete in this case is pretty much why innovation can even take place in an otherwise grey and drab environment...

Oh, here we have touched on Corporate Warfare 101, of which I would not continue until I have my own damned blog to preach my anarchistic ideals to :3

 

[Thagarr]

Very valid points SWS, sometimes the best way to get your point across is to shock them with something no one has ever done before, it does indeed leave a lasting impression, one way or the other.

I envy you, your courage and fortitude, I have been through similar experiences in the past, although not on a corporate level. The skeptic in me is done fighting those types of battles though, anymore, I simply prefer to just punch a time clock, do my job as best I can, and let someone else deal with the BS! It seems there is an endless supply of power hungry number crunchers to replace the ones you are able to knock off. I am more than happy to let them have their illusions. Don't get me wrong, I am still willing to fight, I just choose my fights a lot more carefully than I used to, maybe I am jut getting old.

Ok, I am off to bed for now, I am just finishing reading Pirate Latitudes, it's a real page turner! :mm I am also going to try and get a review of that book up at some point, one more item on my to do list! :hmm

But first, a quick update on that oil tanker that was hijacked a few days ago..

IMO Secretary-General expresses concern over hijacked tanker

IMO Secretary-General Efthimios E. Mitropoulos today expressed concern that adverse weather conditions and other contributing factors may bring about an accident to the supertanker Maran Centaurus – hijacked by pirates on 29 November 2009 with a cargo of 2 million barrels of crude oil – possibly resulting in an environmental catastrophe off the coast of Somalia, where the vessel is currently being held.

The vessel, with a 28-member crew, was some 800 miles from the Seychelles Islands when it was hijacked and then taken to an area off the port of Hobyo in Somalia. Weather conditions are said to be changing for the worse in the area which, coupled with reported unsafe anchorage conditions, has led to concerns that the vessel might be damaged by grounding, leading to its cargo being spilled and resulting in serious ecological damage.

Mr. Mitropoulos is concerned that, while any hijacking incident is to be deplored because of its impact on the seafarers on board, the potential for ecological disaster, in an area of the world that presently lacks the infrastructure, equipment, resources and expertise to cope with it, makes this a particular case.

Accordingly, in a letter to the Prime Minister of the Transitional Federal Government of Somalia, Mr. Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke, Mr. Mitropoulos has expressed concern that any accident to the ship might, because of the large quantity of oil carried in its tanks, cause serious environmental damage, with repercussions to the nearby fishing grounds and consequent negative economic impact on the livelihood of the population in the area.

Original story here :
http://www.imo.org/Newsroom/mainframe.asp?topic_id=1773&doc_id=12207

 

[carmenara]

As far as I'm tempted to continue a dialogue on the reality of employed life, I would not as I enjoy greatly our very professional discussions. The one sole reason why I absolutely refuse to make friends is that people have far too much interest in my personal affairs, of which I see no point in disclosing. And of course, having basic knowledge of psychology means I can predict how a given piece of information shall be used in future...

Your news flash makes me quite worried, as here we have a potential talking point on our blog. If you view this situation from a certain angle, it can be used as a turning point for the war against piracy. That is, if and only if, the world's governments would start acting and stop bickering.

But as any radical decision goes, there are lots of moral grey areas to consider. Let's see how this develops.

 

[Thagarr]

Another soft target.

Somali pirates hijack Indian dhow

NAIROBI, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) -- Somali pirates have hijacked an Indian dhow off the coast of the Horn of the African nation in the latest pirate incidents, a regional maritime official confirmed on Monday.

Andrew Mwangura, the East African Coordinator of Seafarers' Assistance Program (SAP) said the Laxmi Sagar was seized on Sundaybut the reports reached his organization on Monday.

"The Indian dhow was seized on Sunday but we received the report early today. The crew is Indian. I have not established where the dhow was heading from and its destination," Mwangura told Xinhua by telephone from Mombasa.

Sources said the Indian dhow operates frequently between Saudi Arabia and the African coast.

Original story here :
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/14/content_12646463.htm

 

[Thagarr]

Civilian killed as Somali pirates clash over Greek ransom

December 16, 2009
One civilian was killed in an exchange of fire between Somali pirates arguing over their shares of a large ransom paid last week for the release of a Greek vessel.

Mohamed Adan Nur, an elder in the pirate lair of Hobyo, some 300 miles (480 kilometres) north of the capital Mogadishu, said tension had been simmering for days and a gunfight erupted. "A passerby died in the incident which is not the first of its kind, they always argue over the illegal money they take from the ships they hijack," he told AFP by phone. The pirates were arguing over the ransom paid last week to free the MV Ariana, a Greek-owned cargo ship with a crew of 24 Ukrainians that had been captured in the Indian Ocean in May.

According to pirates who spoke to AFP at the time of the release, a total of around 2.5 million dollars in cash was delivered to obtain the freedom of the ship and its crew. "One of the pirates borrowed money from his colleague and refused to repay him after receiving his share of the Greek ship's ransom. That was the cause of the exchange of fire," local pirate Ali Ganey told AFP. Adan Moalim Bahsir said he and other Hobyo elders were trying to mediate for a peaceful resolution of the conflict. "One innocent civilian has already died because he was caught up in their feud. If we do not mediate, there could be more bloodshed," he said.


In a given hijacking case, up to 50 pirates or more can claim a share of the ransom money, which is generally paid in 50 and 100 dollar bills. The men who seize the vessel get a larger slice of the cake than their colleagues who stayed ashore and, in keeping with the centuries-old code of "piratehood", the first man who boarded the ship gets a bonus. Local businessmen and other individuals can also decide to invest in a hijacking in exchange for a share of the final ransom, by lending the pirates money and weapons, buying food or supplying the narcotic khat leaf.

Original story here :
http://www.worldsentinel.com/articles/view/132955

 

[Thagarr]

Well, one thing is for certain, this is not how you stop piracy! Why even bother arresting them in the first place!

'Somali pirates' held by Dutch freed: defence ministry

THE HAGUE — A band of suspected Somali pirates captured by the Dutch navy after a failed attack on a cargo ship are to be freed after no country would agree to prosecute them, Dutch officials said Thursday.

"The European Union has decided... that the (Dutch warship that captured the pirates) Evertsen must let the 13 Somali pirates go," the Dutch defence ministry said in a statement.

"The European Union has tried in vain since their arrest to find a country which would agree to prosecute them," the statement added.

The suspected pirates, seized by Dutch naval officers in the Indian Ocean at the start of the month after allegedly attacking a cargo ship, would leave shortly aboard their own speed boat, a defence ministry spokeswoman said.

"The defence ministry regrets that the European Union has not found a suitable solution," the statement said.

Defence officials added the EU had signed agreements with the Seychelles and Kenya to help press charges against suspected pirates captured in the region but "the two countries indicated they did not want to prosecute the pirates."

Until Sunday, the Netherlands was in command of the EU's Atalanta anti-piracy mission. They recently extended their participation in the mission until June 2010.

Many countries have faced problems in getting pirate suspects captured by their navies prosecuted. It is difficult to hand them over to countries close to where they are seized due to a lack of legal arrangements.

Original story here :
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5if17m7CRabEpUCsHXLFVdnp3BiGA

And also this...

14 Filipino seamen freed by Somali pirates


MANILA, Dec. 18 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen Filipino seafarers on board a Greek vessel was freed by ransom-seeking Somali pirates this week, the Philippine embassy in Nairobi reported Friday.

The Filipino crew of MV Delvina are "safe and in good health." The vessel and its crew are now heading to Mombasa.

The latest release has reduced the number of hijacked Filipino seafarers off the coast of Somalia to 56, involving five vessels. Philippine foreign affairs and labor officials are coordinating with concerned manning agencies and their shipping principals on the release and repatriation of Filipino seafarers.

The Philippine government is stepping up efforts to address the rising incidence of piracy and hostage-taking involving Filipino seafarers off the coast of Somalia.

The Philippine labor department is requiring Filipino seafarers to undergo anti-piracy training to teach them how to deal with piracy situations and how to avoid it. It has also issued safety and security directives to manning agencies of ships plying the Gulf of Aden.

The Philippines is the world's leading supplier of ship crew with over 350,000 sailors, or about a fifth of the world's seafarers, manning oil tankers, luxury liners and passenger vessels worldwide, exposing them to piracy attacks.

Original story here :
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/18/content_12667059.htm

 

[carmenara]

The Philippines is the world's leading supplier of ship crew with over350,000 sailors, or about a fifth of the world's seafarers, manning oiltankers, luxury liners and passenger vessels worldwide, exposing themto piracy attacks.

I have great respect for foreign employees; many of them here hail from the Philippines and their rough hispanic manners are very charming. They usually endure hard working conditions and lower benefits than the natives, but a lot of my girls show them great respect because of that. They appear to be fans of my knowledge in Hispanic colonisation and my 'partly Iberian' accent as well.

It is good to see that the Philippine government is taking active measures to support their vast workforce deployed worldwide!

As we concluded in an earlier discussion on defense against piracy - the first line is the seamen and captains facing them. Good drills and competent leadership can forestall a pirate boarding attempt long enough for military intervention to materialise, if not make boarding entirely impossible.

 

[rupertlittlebear]

As we concluded in an earlier discussion on defense against piracy - the first line is the seamen and captains facing them. Good drills and competent leadership can forestall a pirate boarding attempt long enough for military intervention to materialise, if not make boarding entirely impossible.

like some cruise ships stringing barbed wire around the ship.

 

[Thagarr]

China's third escort mission returns home from Somali waters


ZHOUSHAN, Zhejiang Province, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- Two frigates with Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy returned home Sunday to a naval base in the Zhoushan Islands in eastern China, after escorting close to 600 vessels to protect them from pirate attacks in Somali waters.

The radar-evading hulled FFG-529 Zhoushan and FFG-530 Xuzhou were welcomed at the base by Ding Yiping, deputy commander of the PLA Navy.

The two frigates set sail for the Gulf of Aden on July 16, along with the supply ship Qiandaohu, which stayed on duty in the region.

Together the flotilla cruised close to 166,000 kilometers, about four times as long as the earth's equator, and escorted 582 vessels in its 158-day mission starting from Aug. 1.

Frigates Zhoushan and Xuzhou also visited Singapore and Malaysia, and stopped over in Hong Kong on its way back.

The two frigates were relieved by the PLA Navy's missile frigates FFG-525 Ma'anshan and FFG-526 Wenzhou which departed for Somali waters on Oct. 29.

Original story here :
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-12/20/content_12674642.htm

 

[carmenara]

Here's some data on one of the new Chinese frigate classes:

http://www.sinodefen...jiangkai-ii.asp

Unlike the overly nationalistic news post above, and manufacturer claims, they are not true "stealth" vessels although the slab side will reduce radar cross section slightly (no doubt a copy of the French La Fayette's profile, and other new Western ships like LCS, etc )

Note that China does not have a free press and local news agencies tend not to be completely objective; but it shows that China's sea power is increasing significantly! Ten years ago there were doubts (from strategic studies) that China could successfully mount an invasion of Taiwan due to limited-capability naval forces, but today it's a different story indeed.

These frigates may be a generation behind the latest Western designs, but nevertheless, very advanced and efficient for an indigenous design.

They have a good vertical launch SAM system, the Russian Shtil (based on the SA-11 Gadfly) - VLS SAMs allow rapid fire and fast response; however the lack of an AESA radar system (phased array, ala Aegis ships) limits multiple target engagement capability (Jiangkai can guide 4 missiles at once, without cooperative engagement capability);

In summary it's a well rounded ship equivalent to a Spruance (VLS) type vessel.

I applaud the optimistic note of the Chinese press, but let's not discount the valiant defenders of the world's other Navies as well. I strongly believe that the Western press should disclose similar news as this, if only to tell us that they're doing all they can to help, as the Chinese definitely are!

And on this note - god knows what the Chinese military would be like in another 20 years. They really are developing good hardware at a rapid pace. While the US military is facing budget cut after budget cut, the Chinese have no such limitation!

 

[Thagarr]

Thanks for the info SWS! I don't post a lot of things from Xinhua because it is a bit more controlled, but sometimes they do have some stories that other news agencies don't. China has changed quite a bit in the past 20 years, they have definitely become more of a global power. Your point about Taiwan is quite accurate, and will probably be the focal point of any confrontation between China and the US. The fact that China now also has a manned space program adds a new dimension as well. I won't get into the politics of it, but some of there technological advances are based on western designs acquired through their spy networks and by other means.

I agree with you about the western news agencies, more coverage such as how many escort missions were successfully completed and other aspects of the current joint naval flotilla in the region would be very welcome, the sad fact is that kind of news doesn't drive the western media. Or to put it more bluntly, that type of reporting doesn't sell newspapers. Sensationalism sells, and that's what most editors look for.

Indian ship attacked by pirates

MUMBAI: An Indian ship, with a 35-member crew, was attacked by pirates in the Arabian Sea, 500 km off the western coast, on Monday night, but the hijack attempt was foiled.

An official said some quick thinking by the captain of the Shipping Corporation of India’s vessel, Maharaj Agrasen, helped to prevent any threat to the crew.

The vessel carrying crude oil was proceeding to Visakhapatnam from Kuwait.

After trying to ram the ship into a pirate boat, the captain changed course and sped away, the official said. — PTI

Original story here :
http://www.hindu.com/2009/12/23/stories/2009122350130100.htm

 

[carmenara]

After trying to ram the ship into a pirate boat, the captain changed course and sped away, the official said. — PTI

That sounds like something that works in WBT (POTC: NH). Good to see I'm on the right track :3

 

[Thagarr]

Aye mate! Ramming can be a very good tactic indeed! Not sure I would want to try it with an oil tanker though!

 

[carmenara]

http://www.youtube.c...feature=related

The Russian Kirov class nuclear guided missile battlecruiser Pyotr Velikiy (Peter the Great) is headed to Somalian waters to participate in anti-piracy operations.

This massive Cold War relic, the only one of her kind in the world, is definitely a menacing sight. She's impressively armed with multiple, absolutely gigantic batteries of surface to air missiles along with her trump card, the SS-N-19 "Shipwreck" supersonic antiship missiles designed for use against carrier battle groups.

The problem is... none of that armament is going to be useful in Somalian waters. Except for her helicopter and the autocannon in the stern. Maybe the 12 30mm 6 barrel Gatlings from the Kashtan close in weapon systems... if they can be depressed to fire on surface targets and if anything gets really close, but her main weapon is probably sheer size and intimidation factor!

Doesn't matter if her 200 plus missiles on board can't target your little pirate skiff, its the world's only nuclear-powered battlecruiser!

 

[Thagarr]

Thanks for the info SWS, she is a commanding presence to be sure! One of the last of a diminishing breed.

 

[Thagarr]

Of all the news stories I have seen over the last few years about piracy, this one has to be the most disturbing to me so far. Sometimes I loose track of the human factor in these stories, and this one brings that aspect sharply into focus. Right now I am unable to put into words just what I am feeling, but I shall try and post that as a blog on the main page after I have had a bit of time to put my thoughts together.

Pirate Update: Ariana Crew Abandoned Again

By Venatrix Fulmen Special to Salem-News.com

A pregnant female sailor was beaten by the ship's engineer so severely that she lost her unborn child; it is a tragic story of poverty, attempted revenge, piracy, a captive crew turning on themselves, unexpected heroes, and the Ukraine government abandoning it's own people.

(NAIROBI, Kenya) - One of the most inhumane and cruel Somali piracy stories of 2009 involve the tragic happenings on MV ARIANA, the Greek/British-owned, Malta-flagged and Ukrainian-crewed cargo vessel held in Somalia for six months until a ransom between USD 2.8 million and USD 3.5 million was paid for the release of the 37,955 gross tonnage bulk carrier.

While one side of the coin is the criminal act of piracy committed by misled, desperate Somali sea-shifta, the non-Somali side must be held responsible for all the crimes and cruelties caused by the inaction of the shipowner-conglomerate represented by Greek national Captain Spyros Minas and the Ukrainian officials.

Tragedy

The simple case of an abduction for ransom, which the Somalis claim as compensation for the devastation of their livelihoods by toxic dumping and illegal fishing in earlier years, turned into a nightmare when one of the two female sailors of Ukraine nationality, who was five months pregnant, was beaten by the Ukrainian engineer onboard so severely that she suffered an abortion.

The Somali pirate captors who witnessed the scene in early July were so furious about the murder of the unborn child, that they wanted to take the Ukrainian man immediately ashore and execute him according to Sharia law.

Official Ignorance

After the sad news transpired and was immediately verified by an Ukrainian speaking doctor and gynecologist from Nairobi, who was allowed to give medical advice to the seriously ill women, Larysa Salinska, the humanitarian branch of ECOTERRA Intl. immediately offered to evacuate both women from the vessel.

The offer was accepted by the pirates but persistently refused by the shipowner and never facilitated by the Ukrainian government, despite the fact that the situation of the woman became life-threatening because the abortion turned into a serious infection.

“I was bleeding like a tap. I thought I would die from bleeding,” Salinska, 39, the ship’s cook, said tearfully on August 30 to the Kyiv Post.

It must be stated at this point also that the master of the ship, Captain Genadiy Voronov, was reluctant to demand the evacuation, because he believed the sick and the other woman on board, Natalia Los, were push-factors for an early release of vessel and all crew. He didn't calculate the cruelty and ignorance of shipowner and his own governmental officials.

Spin, spin, spin

Though the fetus is still kept in the cold storage of the ship, it turns out that the crew of the seized Spanish fishing vessel FV ALAKRANA invented a story, which they later even narrated to a judge in Spain, saying they had visited the MV ARIANA, provided fuel, food and medicine, and also observed a third female person on board.

This third female was reported to be the 11 or 12-year old daughter of the second female sailor with blond hair and blue eyes.

All this is believed now to be part of spin-doctoring between Ukrainian, Spanish and Greek politicians of ministerial level to distract from own failures and to aid a stronger European military approach for which the mislead public outcry over these atrocities was seen as necessary to be approved by the European ministerial conference.

Abandoned again

While the MV ARIANA had received fuel from another hostage ship to sail off the Somali coast after her final release on 12th December - two days later as the shipowner claimed before the media - the Ukrainian sailors were not immediately relieved at the nearest possible harbour, but forced by Spyros Minas to sail towards Iran, despite what he knew about the fuel shortage.

The question as to why the ship didn't come to Mombasa or Dubai to exchange the crew and to do the bunkering has so far not been answered but led to immediate speculations that the cargo from Brazil might not just be soy-beans and is not supposed to be inspected.

Another story has it that a deal among the release team comprising of the Greek shipowner representative, Ukrainian officials, members of the Kenyan armed forces and an Italian shipping firm went sour, which saw the arrest of the master and six armed Somalis from T/B SOLAND, owned by Southern Engineering of Mombasa, whose Director M. Esposito was not able today the get at least the Tanzanian master released on bond.

With all this turmoil it is obviously right what the Chief of the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine (FIS) Mykola Malomuzh stated: ""The crew will be back home earliest after the New Year".

Malomuzh says another tugboat is now heading to MV ARIANA for refueling, but that ship is delayed due to stormy weather. Meanwhile, BBC has reported the ARIANA ship owner, who should have coordinated all actions, has set the ship adrift. That information comes from Mikhail Voytenko, the director with the Maritime Bulletin.

"If the bulker reaches the port of designation in Iran - it's good. If not, the ship owner will get insurance," he said.

Extremely dangerous

Andrew Mwangura, head of the the East African Seafarer's Assistance Programme sees the situation of the vessel as very critical: "To let her adrift is extremely dangerous to the heavily laden ship itself in heavy weather and as well to other ocean-going ships in the area. Such is irresponsible of the owner and demands a full investigation."

British company SEVEN SEAS MARITIME Ltd. from London are calling themselves the only agent, while the ISM manager is ALLOCEANS SHIPPING CO LTD from Athens / Greece and registered ship-owner is CANDELA SHIPPING of Malta in order to evade tax and regulations by flying this flag of convenience.

The vessel has no ITF approved CBA (collective bargaining agreement for the crew). Insured by the London P&I Club this case seems to be another feast for those who profit from piracy besides the pirates.

ECOTERRA Intl. Spokesman Hans-Juergen Duwe demanded on Christmas eve that a coalition warship immediately secures the MV ARIANA, assists the crew and since all the EU NAVFOR or CTF vessels have legal and police personnel on board start investigations into all the mysteries surrounding the vessel and the crew.

"The crew has the right to be rescued not only from Somali pirates but also from an inhumane shipowner and the families as well as the public have a right to know all the truth!" Duwe stated in Germany.

Original story here :
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/december252009/ariana.php

 

[carmenara]

Oh dear, that's terrible...

 

[Thagarr]

Somali pirates say $4 million ransom paid for coal ship

MOGADISHU (Reuters) - A helicopter dropped a $4 million ransom payment on Sunday on to the deck of a Chinese coal ship hijacked by Somali pirates in mid-October, a pirate source on board the vessel said.

The De Xin Hai and its 25 crew were carrying about 76,000 tons of coal from South Africa to the Indian port of Mundra when it was seized by gunmen in the Indian Ocean some 700 miles east of the Horn of Africa.

Sea gangs from Somalia have made tens of millions of dollars in ransoms by hijacking vessels using the shipping lanes there and in the strategic Gulf of Aden that links Europe to Asia.

Patrols in the area by warships from several nations only appear to have forced the pirates to hunt further from shore.

"A helicopter dropped the ransom money onto the ship. We have received $4 million," Hassan, one of the pirates on the De Xin Hai, told Reuters by telephone to cheers in the background.

"We hope to disembark in a few hours. The crew is safe and -- although they will not have their freedom for a few more days -- they are all happy now."

The October 19 hijacking of the De Xin Hai, which is owned by Qingdao Ocean Shipping, a unit of China Ocean Shipping or COSCO, was the first known seizure of a coal ship by Somali pirates.

Indian coal traders warned at the time that this might encourage the gangs to seize other coal ships, since these dry bulk vessels are smaller and have relatively small crews.

Experts say a higher risk of pirate attacks could disrupt an expected increase in the volume of South African coal heading to India after a boom in Indian demand over the last two years.

China sent three warships to Somali waters late last year with great fanfare after a ship carrying oil to China was attacked by pirates. But Chinese warships, like those from other countries, provide protection mainly in the narrow and dangerous Gulf of Aden, not in the much larger Indian Ocean.

In late October and again in November, the pirates on board the De Xin Hai threatened to execute its 25 mostly young sailors if the Chinese military tried to rescue them.

Original story here:
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE5BQ0K420091227