Thagarr's Pirate News!

[Thagarr]

Indian Cargo Vessel Seized by Somali Pirates
Salem-News.com

(NAIROBI, Kenya) - Ecoterra International reports that a motorized sailing vessel, ABDUL RAZAK with 9 crew of Indian nationals, was captured by Somali sea-shifta or pirates.

Marine monitors reported today from Somalia that the 40m ship was sea-jacked on her way from Kandala to Dubai.

No information concerning the condition of the crew was immediately available.

So far the vessel had been reported only as missing or lost at sea by the owner.

A gang from Garacad reportedly notorious pirate den at the Indian Ocean coast of North-Eastern Somalia, is now commandeering M.S.V. ABDUL RAZAK.

It is not yet clear yet if the small cargo ship will be held against a ransom or if the gang will misuse her as pirate mother-ship.

Original story here :
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/february242010/pirates_abdul-razak.php

 

[Thagarr]

Ransom Paid to Somali Pirates for Release of Ship

An EU naval force spokesman says ransom has been paid for the release of a Singapore-flagged chemical tanker, held for nearly two months by Somali pirates.

John Harbor said the money was delivered on Friday morning. He said he expects the pirates to release the crew and leave the ship within about 24 hours, after counting the money.

The ransom amount was not specified.

The chemical tanker Pramoni was hijacked on January 1 in the Gulf of Aden.

The crew includes 17 Indonesians, five Chinese, one Vietnamese and one Nigerian.

Somali pirates have made tens of millions of dollars over the past two years hijacking ships for ransom.

Multinational naval forces have stopped many attacks near the coast, but pirates have increasingly focused their efforts on the Indian Ocean, an area too large for foreign navies to effectively patrol.

Original story here :
http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/africa/east/Two-Ships-Seized-off-Somali-Coast-85490457.html

And this one is a bit interesting...

Somali pirates seize aid trucks

Mogadishu - Somali pirates in Puntland seized food aid trucks and their drivers to obtain the release of detained comrades, officials said Friday, in a rare land attack by the sea bandits.

The five trucks had been contracted by the UN's World Food Programme and had finished delivering food aid in the Galkayo area, in the semi-autonomous northern Somali state of Puntland, which harbours several major pirate lairs.

They were on their way back to Berbera, the main port in the neighbouring breakaway state of Somaliland, when a gang of pirates intercepted them on Thursday.

"The pirates hijacked five trucks with nine people onboard and took them to their base in Garaad. They are demanding the release of their colleagues arrested recently by the Somaliland security forces," Abdullahi Mohamed, a security official in Galkayo, said by phone.

"We heard pirates took civilians from Somaliland region as hostages and we are still investigating the incident," police officer Colonel Dahir Jama said.

The Somaliland authorities have arrested and jailed dozens of pirates from Puntland in the Gulf of Aden recently.

"We are treating the hostages well here in Garaad and our aim is to get our friends in the jails of Somaliland freed. We are not demanding anything else. When our friends are free and back home we will free the drivers and the trucks," Abdi Jamal, a pirate, said by phone from Garaad.

Dozens of other trucks transporting food aid in the same region are stranded in Galkayo, their drivers afraid to continue.

"There are many trucks from Somaliland still here in Galkayo, too afraid to return, but we will give them escorts," Jamal said.

Original story here :
http://www.news24.com/Content/Afric...02-2010-12-59/Somali_pirates_seize_aid_trucks

 

[Stallion]

Why, oh why, does this picture spring to mind:

I know - that was bad. But it was begging for somebody to do it. :

 

[Thagarr]

That picture is classic! :

Looks like next time they might be able to afford a bigger wheel borrow though ...

Ransom drop made for Greek ship seized by pirates


NAIROBI, Kenya — The European Union Naval Force says a ransom drop has been made for the release of a Greek-owned bulk carrier seized by pirates two months ago.

The naval force said the drop took place Saturday morning but the amount of money involved was not released.

A crew of 18 Filipinos and one Greek citizen is on board the Navios Apollon. The carrier was seized about 200 nautical miles east of the Seychelles and had been headed to Thailand.

Somali pirates currently hold at least six ships and more than 100 crew.

Piracy is one of the few ways to make money in the country torn apart by civil war. The Somali government can't send forces to counter the flourishing pirate bases that dot its 1,900-mile (3,100-kilometer)-long coastline.

Original story here :
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gB7YMEDuCwwY9ncDOtPAkEI4-H2wD9E4G4780

 

[Thagarr]

Absalon sinks pirate ‘mother ship’
Tuesday, 02 March 2010 09:30 KR News

Danish forces boarded and sank a pirate control ship as part of Nato operations off the coast of Somalia
The Absalon, a Danish attack support ship, sank a pirate control ship off the coast of Somalia on Sunday, according to a Nato press release.

The Absalon is the current flag ship of the Nato fleet operating in the pirate-stricken Gulf of Aden off the east African coast and has been involved in numerous pirate run-ins.

The latest saw a pirate mother skiff intercepted by a boarding team from the Absalon before it was scuttled. It had been spotted earlier in the day after leaving a Somali camp outfitted with pirate equipment and supplies.

‘This was a very well executed operation,’ said Admiral Christian Rune. ‘Disrupting the pirates’ capability just off their main pirate camps sends a strong signal to the pirates that Nato and the international community do not tolerate their actions. Disposing of their vessels before they can head to sea hits the pirates before they can present a threat to merchant shipping.’
Nato has stepped up its efforts in the area as the monsoon season comes to an end and the traditionally lucrative spring season attracts more pirates to the seas.

Original story here :
http://www.cphpost.dk/component/content/48382.html?task=view

 

[Thagarr]

Looks like things are starting to pick up again now that the weather in the region is clearing a bit.

Somali pirates seize empty Saudi oil tanker and crew

Somali pirates have captured a small Saudi tanker and its crew, the EU naval force in the Gulf of Aden says.

The tanker, travelling from Japan to Jeddah, was empty when pirates hijacked the vessel and took its crew captive.

The MT Nisir Al Saudi was outside the shipping lanes patrolled by naval warships, it was reported.

Somali pirate attacks usually increase in the months between March and May because calmer seas allow the pirates to operate more freely.

The captain of the ship is Greek but the nationalities of the rest of the crew are not known.

In November 2008 Somali pirates hijacked the Sirius Star, a Saudi supertanker loaded with two million barrels of oil.

They released it after two months in return for a ransom, believed to have been $3m (£1.95m), which was parachuted on to the deck of the ship by helicopter.

The latest ship to be captured was taken to the Somali town of Garacad, a known pirate stronghold, said Cmdr John Harbour of the EU Naval Force in the area.

Original story here :
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8547140.stm

 

[Thagarr]

Spanish trawler repels pirate attack with grenades

PRIVATE security guards aboard a Spanish trawler repelled an attack by pirates using rocket-propelled grenades in the Indian Ocean.

The attack was confirmed by naval forces and Spanish sources.

The European Union's naval mission to the waters off Somalia and the Gulf of Aden, said that "earlier this morning, 4 March, the 2,100-tonne Spanish fishing vessel Albacan was attacked by pirates in the Indian Ocean''.

"The Albacan, owned by Albacora, and registered in Cadiz, was fishing half way between the Seychelles and the Kenyan coast (off Mombasa) when it was approached by two pirate skiffs.''

A statement by EU-NAVFOR said one of the skiffs, "fired a rocket-propelled grenade that exploded on the deck of the fishing vessel'', but "private security armed guards'' fired back "over the heads of the pirate skiff'' and the attackers fled.

"All crew members are unharmed,'' the naval mission added.

The Spanish fisheries federation said the attack took place at 0730 GMT (1830 AEDT) some 650km off Kenya, with Spanish media citing an exchange of gunfire and a fire, rapidly extinguished, in the kitchen caused by the grenade.

Last year, 16 Spanish crew members of a tuna trawler, the Alakrana, were held for more than a month by Somali pirates before a $US4 million ($A4.42 million) ransom was paid.

The Spanish government has authorised the use of armed guards, as opposed to assigning military personnel the way France has, for instance.

Original story here :
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/wo...es-with-grenades/story-e6frf7lf-1225837155103

 

[Stallion]

Sounds like they bit off more than they could chew, unlike this guy:

Yes, that was some kind of fish-trawler related pun-thingy mixed in with a mutant-fishy that only I can understand. :

 

[rupertlittlebear]

something is wrong in the post

Spanish trawler repels pirate attack with grenades

said one of the skiffs, "fired a rocket-propelled grenade that exploded on the deck of the fishing vessel'',

"private security armed guards'' fired back "over the heads of the pirate skiff''

never said anything about the security guards using grenades.

Sounds like the Washington Post syndrome strikes again.

 

[Thagarr]

Yes, that was some kind of fish-trawler related pun-thingy mixed in with a mutant-fishy that only I can understand. :

:? ... :mm ...... k ....:hmm ..... :will

..... ..... ..... ..... : ..... .......


I agree rupert, but I didn't write it, I just posted it as they had it.

 

[rupertlittlebear]

I agree rupert, but I didn't write it, I just posted it as they had it.

Not ragging you, but

I just love it when News Agencies declare themselves to be Incompetent.

 

[Thagarr]

Looks like things are indeed heating up off the coast of Somalia again, and the next few weeks could be very interesting.

Somali pirates, security personnel in 4 shootouts

By KATHARINE HOURELD (AP)

NAIROBI, Kenya — Swarms of Somali pirates are moving into the waters off East Africa, triggering four shootouts Friday including a skirmish with French military personnel that sunk a pirate skiff, officials said.

The end of the monsoon season and the resulting calmer waters signal the beginning of the most dangerous period for ships traveling the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean. Nearly half the 47 ships hijacked off Somalia last year were taken in March and April.

Cmdr. John Harbour of the European Union Naval Force said a spike in attacks was very likely in coming weeks. But this season, ship owners and sailors are more prepared to try to evade pirates, fight back, or have armed security onboard, raising the likelihood of violence.

"We know the monsoon is over. We know they're coming," Harbour said. "We're taking the fight to the pirates."

In the most serious skirmish Friday, six pirates attacked a vessel before breaking off and chasing the French fishing boat Torre Giulia, Harbour said. Two other French fishing vessels nearby — the Jalenduic and the Trevignon — aided the Torre Giula.

A French military detachment onboard the Trevignon fired warning shots at the pirates, but failed to stop the attack. The Trevignon approached the skiff and collided with it, said Harbour, sinking the skiff and throwing the pirates into the water. Four were rescued and a military aircraft was searching for the other two, he said.

In a second incident Friday, the EU Naval Force intercepted a pirate group of one mothership and two skiffs that had attacked a separate French vessel. That attack was also repelled by military personnel onboard.

An EU Naval Force helicopter tracked the pirates and watched them throw a rocket launcher, grappling hooks and fuel barrels into the ocean. The naval force said it destroyed the mothership and one skiff and took 11 pirates into custody.

In the third and fourth attacks, pirates assaulted two Spanish tuna fishing boats off the coast of Kenya, Spain's Ministry of Defense said. A spokesman said the boats had contacted Spanish navy forces in the area, who dispatched a plane. Between the air support and the private guards on the boats, they were able to repel the attack. The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity because government rules don't allow him to be identified but the clashes were confirmed by deputy Prime Minister Maria Teresa Fernandez de la Vega.

These incidents followed a firefight Thursday between private security contractors onboard a Spanish fishing vessel and pirates. The pirates set the ship on fire with a rocket-propelled grenade and the security guards returned fire. No one was hurt, but the International Maritime Bureau has expressed fears that the increased use of armed contractors could spark an arms race between fishermen and pirates, who are firing at ships with increasing frequency.

"The EU Navfor agrees with that recommendation because we don't want an escalation of firepower," said Harbour. "Also, there are lots of gas and oil tankers in the Gulf of Aden that wouldn't benefit from grenades and bullets flying around."

Pirate attacks off East Africa have dramatically increased over the past three years. Somali pirates attacked ships 217 times in 2009, according to the International Maritime Bureau. That was up from 111 attacks in 2008.

Last year, the average ransom was around $2 million, according to piracy expert Roger Middleton of the British think tank Chatham House. This year, two ransoms paid were around $3 million and $7 million, he said.

The original Somali pirates were fishermen aggrieved over the huge foreign trawlers depleting their seas — a complaint the international community has yet to address despite pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into anti-piracy patrols. Huge ransoms lured criminal gangs into piracy, though, and ransom inflation has made it more expensive to buy the freedom of the more than 130 hostages still being held.

Among those hostages are a retired British couple snatched last year from their sailboat, who a Somali official said Friday could be freed within weeks. Paul and Rachel Chandler were seized from their 38-foot yacht last October.

Mohamed Omar Dalha, the deputy speaker of Somalia's parliament, told The Associated Press that Somali communities inside and outside the chaos-wracked country are working to negotiate the "unconditional release" of the Chandlers. Dalha was hopeful they would be released within two weeks without payment.

Somalia has not had a stable government since warlords overthrew longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Associated Press reporter Malkhadir M. Muhumed in Nairobi and Jorge Sainz in Madrid contributed to this report.

Original story here :
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gB7YMEDuCwwY9ncDOtPAkEI4-H2wD9E8H7HO0

And this article lays out some of the strategies currently being employed to counter pirates. One thing I find very interesting in this article is something I have never heard before. The majority of Somali pirates are of course Islamic, and it seems that Islam regards dogs as "unclean" and very few Somalis have dogs as pets. So one of the new strategies we may see coming up is trained guard dogs being employed by shipping companies. Personally, I think this is a fantastic idea! Not that I relish the idea of German Shepherds taking on an AK-47's or grenade launchers, but I think the site of several pissed off guard dogs greeting these bastards as they tried to climb aboard would be enough to send them packing in a hurry! If they even managed to get on deck, the dogs would be on them before they could get off more than a poorly aimed round or two. That would of course though bring the predictable outcry's from PETA saying the dogs "human rights" were being violated!

Pirates attack Spanish boat
2010-03-05 09:39

Nairobi - Somali pirates hit a Spanish fishing boat off the coast of Kenya with a rocket-propelled grenade on Thursday as private security on board returned fire at the would-be hijackers.

The successful defense of the fishing vessel Albacan illustrates two trends driving up the stakes for sailors and pirates off the Horn of Africa: Better trained and protected crews are increasingly able to repel attacks, but pirates eager for multimillion-dollar ransoms are now resorting to violence much more often to capture ships.

Two-thirds of attacks by Somali pirates are being repelled by crews alone, without the aid of the coalition warships that patrol the Gulf of Aden, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of attacks reported to the London-based International Maritime Bureau.

Most did so without the use of armed guards, although private security contractors helped repel pirates in at least five incidents off the Somali coast last year.

As it gets harder for pirates to capture ships, the Somali gangs are more likely to fire at sailors with automatic weapons to make ships stop. The bureau says only seven ships were fired on worldwide in 2004 but that 114 ships were fired on last year off the Somali coast alone. That's up from 39 incidents off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden in 2008.

Anti-piracy drills

Most crews now post extra lookouts, register with maritime authorities and practice anti-piracy drills, said Cyrus Mody of the IMB. Increasing speed and maneuvering so a ship produces more wake or heads into rough waves can also make it more difficult for pirates.

The International Maritime Bureau does not recommend using armed guards due to potential legal problems and fears of starting an arms race with the pirates or increasing the danger to sailors. Moody said in October 2008 that armed guards on ships may encourage pirates to use their weapons more - a prediction that appears to have become reality.

None of the 33 crew members or three guards was hurt in Thursday's incident, the ship owners association Cepesca said in a statement from Spain. None of the pirates was believed to be hurt either. But maritime officials expect more gunfire attacks to happen this spring as calmer seas will likely bring a spike in attacks.

Many ship owners are investing in physical defenses like stringing razor wire and adding fire hoses that can hit attackers with streams of high-pressure water. Some ships are even having electric fence-style systems installed.

Sound of dogs barking

Secure Marine has installed 45 electric fence-style systems around ships. It also has new devices that can create a type of waterfall around a ship to flood pirate skiffs that get close. The water can be heated "so the higher the pirates climb, the hotter it gets," said company chief Raphael Kahn.

Skin irritants or dye can also be added that help coalition forces identify attackers for possible arrest, he said.

Some ships have been forced to rely on sailors' ingenuity. Crews have thrown everything from oil drums to wooden planks at would-be hijackers clambering up ladders. Last month a crew played the sound of dogs barking over an amplifier to frighten off attackers.

Dogs are considered unclean in Islam and few Somalis keep them as pets. Shipping industry officials are discussing putting guard dogs on high-risk vessels to help frighten off pirates, Mody said. Most hijackings are opportunistic and pirates who encounter resistance often give up and chase an easier target.

"If you're being chased by a lion, you don't have to be faster than the lion," said Graeme Gibbon Brooks of Dryad Maritime Intelligence. "You just have to be faster than the person next to you."

More dangerous

Better training and preparations mean that although 2009 saw 217 Somali pirate attacks - the highest number on record - most were unsuccessful. Forty-seven ships were taken, about the same as in 2008, which saw 111 attacks, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

The attacks are becoming more dangerous for crew members, though. More than 20 ships were fired on with rocket-propelled grenades last year, including tankers and chemical tankers. In one incident, two grenades lodged in the door of a ship's bridge _ the area where the captain steers from. Many other ships were damaged by small-arms fire, according to reports from IMB.

"In the old days (pirates) just used to show up and wave a rusty rifle. Now people aren't so easily frightened," said Gibbon Brooks.

Four sailors died and ten were injured off Somalia in 2009. Two were killed during rescue attempts - one by Yemeni forces and one by the French - and another died in captivity. The fourth was killed by a bullet during the attack.

Financial stakes

"Pirates are shooting because they want the captain to stop and the crew to keep their heads down," said Mody. "Crews are not being executed ... (but) attacks are becoming more violent, there's no doubt about that. It's inevitably going to result in casualties or environmental damage."

The financial stakes are rising as well, said piracy expert Roger Middleton of the British thinktank Chatham House.

Last year, the average ransom was around $2m, giving the pirates a total haul of around $100m for 2009. This year, two ransoms paid were around $3m and $7m, he said, citing industry officials.

"There's a commercial calculation as well as a humanitarian one," he said. "It's cheaper to pay a bit more quickly than a bit less over a longer period of time, because of associated costs like compensation to the sailors, lost work time, and possibly a loss in the value of the cargo."

 

[Thagarr]

Looks like they are extending their reach quite a was out now!

Norwegian Ship Hijacked Off Madagascar
Unclear Whether Ransom Has Been Demanded

Posted: 3:03 am MST March 6,2010Updated: 1:33 pm MST March 6,2010
OSLO, Norway -- A chemical tanker with 21 crew members has been hijacked by Somali pirates near Madagascar, the Norwegian owner said Saturday.

It was not clear whether anyone in the crew, all from Myanmar, had been injured in the attack early Friday or whether any ransom had been demanded.

Svenn Pedersen, CEO and managing director of Norway's Th. Broevigtank Shipowners, said the UBT Ocean chemical tanker was on its way from the United Arab Emirates to Tanzania when it was hijacked about 300 miles (500 kilometers) from its destination.

"The captain made contact saying pirates were on board and then the contact was cut off. Nothing has been heard from the ship since then," Pedersen said.

He said the 9,000-ton vessel is registered in the Marshall Islands and was carrying fuel oil.

Edward Ion, a spokesman for the vessel's technical manager, Ship Management Associates in Singapore, said attempts have been made to re-establish contact with the vessel, but it has so far been unsuccessful.

"We're making every effort," he said, adding the company is cooperating with local authorities and monitoring agencies and anti-piracy forces in the region. "Obviously we're very concerned about this."

The hijacking is one of the southernmost attacks the pirates have ever launched, and serves as yet another indicator that increased naval patrols in the Gulf of Aden are pushing the pirates' range further south and east into the Indian Ocean.

Duncan Findlay, an official with Ship Management Associates, said the ship complied with industry guidelines because it was registered with, and reported to, the UK Maritime Trade Operations, a group that oversees the route the vessel was taking.

According to the company, the vessel was not registered with the EU Naval Force-run Maritime Security Centre for the Horn of Africa because the ship would not go near the Horn of Africa.

"It would have been the incorrect coordination center because the ship was 1,000 nautical miles south of the Horn of Africa," Ion said.

On Friday, a French frigate involved in an EU anti-piracy mission off Somalia detained 22 suspected pirates from six separate boats in the Indian Ocean. According to the French Defense MInistry, the suspects are being held on the frigate.

Original story here :
http://www.kfoxtv.com/news/22761225/detail.html

 

[Thagarr]

France claims biggest haul of pirates off Somalia

(AFP)

PARIS — French frigate Nivose has seized 35 pirates in three days off of Somalia, the French military said on Sunday, claiming "the biggest seizure" so far in the vital shipping lane.

In the latest of four operations since Friday, eleven pirates were intercepted on Sunday with the help of other ships and a Spanish maritime patrol airplane participating in the European Atalanta anti-piracy mission.

Four mother ships and six smaller boats had been seized in the four operations since Friday, the French military said.

The European Union launched its Atalanta mission in December 2008 in a bid to secure one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, joining forces with US-led and NATO missions, as well as other warships from other naval powers.

But the unprecedented naval deployment has failed to curb piracy as Somalia's marauding ransom hunters moved south and started venturing further out in the less heavily-patrolled Indian Ocean, notably towards the Seychelles.

Original story here :
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iDB_Q9Xfx9klHkrwDqsBQC_yP-RQ

And this ...

NATO warship sinks pirate ship off Somalia

The Associated Press

Monday, March 8, 2010 | 12:06 a.m.

A NATO destroyer has sunk a pirate mothership in the Indian Ocean off the Somali coast after allowing the crew to leave, the alliance said Monday.

Shona Lowe, an anti-piracy spokeswoman, said the HDMS Absalon _ the Danish flagship of the three-vessel NATO flotilla in the region _ disrupted a pirate operation by "scuttling" one of the large boats used by Somali gangs to transport attack teams to piracy hunting areas far off the coast.

The mothership was fired on and sunk after its crew members were transferred to a smaller boat in tow, which was allowed to return to the mainland, she said.

"NATO is not in the business of firing at skiffs with pirates in them," Lowe said in an interview from NATO's naval headquarters in Northwood, near London.

Lowe said no further details were immediately available.

The action occurred Sunday in the Indian Ocean, rather than the adjacent Gulf of Aden where most pirate attacks take place.

Rest of the story here :
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/mar/08/nato-warship-sinks-pirate-ship-off-somalia/

 

[Thagarr]

NATO Extends Mandate Of Anti-Piracy Mission Off Somalia Until End 2012
3/10/2010 3:52 PM ET

(RTTNews) - NATO announced Wednesday that it has decided to extend the mandate of its ongoing anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia until the end of 2012.

The alliance's spokesman James Appathurai told reporters in Brussels on Wednesday that NATO ambassadors have "decided to extend NATO's anti-piracy mission through 2012." He added that their decision was based on "the assessment that this mission is making demonstrable contribution to increased safety for shipping and reduced success rates for pirates."

The move comes as the mandate of the alliance's current anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia is due to expire in August this year. The announcement came as five warships from separate NATO members were heading to the Somali coast to join in the ongoing international anti-piracy operations there.

It is understood that the five NATO warships heading to the Somali coast are from Britain, the United States, Italy, Turkey and Greece. They will replace the existing NATO fleet in the region and are expected to take over the anti-piracy operations on Friday.

The Somali coast, particularity the Gulf of Aden, has been infected with piracy in recent years. More than 160 pirate attacks were reported in the waters off Somalia from the beginning of last year.
The pirates have managed to hijack at least 34 vessels since the beginning of 2009, and are currently holding some 10 ships and 200 hostages. Generally, the crew and the vessels are returned unharmed on receiving the demanded ransom.

Somalia has been without a functioning government since the fall of dictator Mohamed Siad Barre's government in 1991. Currently, a weak UN-backed interim government under President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed is trying to enforce its authority in the country, most of which is controlled by various Islamist insurgent groups.

Pirate attacks off the Somali coast have continued despite the presence of several warships, deployed by navies of the NATO, the European Union, Russia, China, South Korea and India, in the region to protect cargo and cruise ships against piracy.

The UN Security Council has approved four resolutions since June to promote international efforts in fighting the escalating piracy problem off the coast of Somalia, authorizing countries involved in anti-piracy operations off the Somali coast to conduct land and air attacks on Somali pirates after obtaining prior permission from the Somali government.

Original story here :
http://www.rttnews.com/ArticleView.aspx?Id=1236571&SMap=1

 

[Thagarr]

No More Mister Nice Guy

March 11, 2010: The international anti-piracy patrol has admitted that it is now pursuing a policy of hunting down and destroying pirate mother ships. Several recent incidents, that resulted in the destruction of mother ships, indicated that this was the case. But now this has been confirmed, along with the warning that even if there is not enough evidence to prosecute the pirates, the mother ship will be destroyed, and the crew dumped on a Somali beach. If there is enough evidence to prosecute, arrangements have been made for Kenya or Seychelles to do it. Western nations are providing these two nations with cash and other assistance to make these prosecutions possible.

The anti-pirate patrol is going after pirate mother ships because these vessels are necessary if the pirates are to attack ships far (up to 1,500 kilometers) off the coast. Mother ships (usually stolen sea-going fishing ships) are spotted leaving known pirate bases, and, when they get far enough out to indicate they are going after distant targets, they are intercepted by a warship. If weapons and boarding equipment is found, the pirates are arrested and prosecuted, and the mother ships and speedboats destroyed. If the pirates managed to dump their weapons and boarding gear overboard, the mother ship is sunk anyway.

The anti-piracy forces have a considerable maritime reconnaissance force of aircraft and UAVs, plus the occasional use of photo satellites. Thus it is difficult for the pirates to head out for the high seas without being spotted. The pirates are no doubt trying to come up with some new tactic to get around this.

Rest of the story here :
http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htseamo/articles/20100311.aspx

 

[Stallion]

Seems strange they don't try to return the stolen mother ships to their rightful owners. Then again, that would just add more stuff for them to have to deal with.

 

[Thagarr]

Yeah, it is a bit, but it sure saves a lot of hassle just to sink them.

Spanish tuna boat repels pirate attack: captain

MADRID — Private security guards aboard a Spanish tuna fishing vessel repelled Sunday an attack from pirates in the Indian Ocean, the boat's captain said.

Captain Santi Gamboa described on Spanish national radio how the crew of the boat, the Txori Argi, had seen several skiffs heading towards them from a mother ship.

"We fired several warning shots and they turned around," he said. The boat had four private security guards onboard, he said.

"We are fine," he said of the crew of 30.

The incident was about 80 nautical miles off the coast of the Seychelles, part of an area of the Indian Ocean that has seen dozens of attacks on passing ships, several of which have been seized for ransom.

Last year another Spanish tuna fishing vessel, the Alakrana, and its crew of 36 was taken hostage for more than a month off the coast of Somalia, where pirates have bases.

They were freed after paying a ransom of four million dollars, according to the Somali pirates who had captured them.

Spanish boats do not carry soldiers when they travel through the dangerous area, unlike French vessels who are protected by French Marines.

But Madrid allows private security guards to carry weapons on the vessels to protect the boats.

Original story here :
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g-owbl69mfqoRGK26plRTRQ0hwMg

And also this..

Cameroon kidnappers demand 15,000 dollars for Chinese

YAOUNDE — The kidnappers of seven Chinese nationals abducted off the Bakassi peninsula in southwest Cameroon have demanded 15,000 dollars (11,000 euros) for their release, a Cameroonian source said Sunday.

"The hostage-takers made a request of ransom for 15,000 dollars," the source close to the matter told AFP. "The Chinese are prepared to pay the sum but the Cameroonian authorities do not agree."

A confirmation could not be obtained from Chinese officials. on Sunday.

The hostages were working for a private Chinese fishing company when they were kidnapped early Friday in international waters off Bakassi, according to the Cameroonian source and the Chinese embassy, quoted by Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

The previously unknown group of kidnappers calls itself the Africa Marine Commando, the Cameroonian source said.

The resource-rich Bakassi peninsula has been at the centre of a territorial dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon for 15 years. It was handed back to Cameroon in August 2008 after the International Court of Justice ruled in Cameroon's favour.

The marshy coastal region, potentially rich in oil and gas, has recently witnessed a spike in rebel attacks. Ten oil sector workers including seven French were kidnapped there in late 2008 by a group calling itself the Bakassi Freedom Fighters.

Original story here :
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h0Qwt1X2IysGvF7zlcCfFLkb3d5w

 

[Thagarr]

Somalia: Pirates shoot one of the British couple

MOGADISHU (Mareeg)—Unconfirmed news reports from central Somalia say, Rachel Chandler one of the British couple was wounded by pirates after they fought over her captivity.

Ali Gedo, a pirate spokesman who contacted with a lawmaker from the breakaway republic of Somaliland, Ahmed Mohamed, had said pirates exchanged gunfire and Mrs. Chandler was injured by a bullet.

Ali Gedo told the lawmaker on Saturday afternoon that the elderly woman was hit by bullet from the pirates.

He added that he could not confirm whether Mrs. Chandler was still alive and promised that he will contact the MP when he reaches the place.

Ahmed Mohamed, the Somaliland lawmaker said he could not get any further information from the pirate .

Original story here :
http://www.mareeg.com/fidsan.php?sid=15442&tirsan=3

And from Ecoterra :

STATUS OF SEIZED VESSELS AND CREWS IN SOMALIA AND THE INDIAN OCEAN - March 15

Summary: Today, 15. March 2010, 06h00 UTC, still at least 9 foreign vessels plus one barge are kept in Somali hands against the will of their owners, while at least 148 seafarers - including an elderly British yachting couple - plus the lorry drivers from Somaliland suffer to be released. See the Somali Marine & Coastal Monitor for background info and the map of the PIRACY COASTS OF SOMALIA.

CASES NOT COMPLETELY CLOSED:

MS INDIAN OCEAN EXPLORER and S/Y SERENITY - presumed sunken, but wrecks not secured.

BARGE NN - an unnamed barge (allegedly with chemical waste) is held at Kulule (near Bendar-Beyla) since mid March. Ownership and circumstances could not yet be clarified. In the meantime local people have developed some ailments. Community awareness campaign was carried out, barge is provisionally secured. The case needs an immediate solution.

S/Y JUMLA or YUMLA ? - a mysterious yacht with three Africans on board was/is kept since a long time near Dinooda on the Indian Ocean coast. Rumors say the yacht was involved in the sea-jacking of NAVIOS APOLLON and was then sighted near Hobyo.

FV INTMAS 6 [aka FV TAWARIQ 2]: Missing since March 2009. FV INTMAS 6 (sometimes named FV TAWARIQ 2) with a crew of around 30 seamen went missing around the time when FV TAWARIQ 1 was arrested by Tanzanian authorities with the help of the South African coastguard for illegal fishing. Families of four Kenyan crew members, who were hired by a Chinese shipping agent in Kenya, are desperate to know the fate of their relatives, while the shipping agent is now held also in the Tanzanian prisons in connection with the arrest of FV TAWARIQ 1. When FV TAWARIQ 1 was seized also FV TAWARIQ 2, 3 and 4 fled from the Western Indian Ocean. TAWARIQ 4 is now anchored in Singapore, TAWARIQ 3 caught fire off Mauritius, which has developed into a hub for fish-poachers, and TAWARIQ 2 (INTMAS 6) and her multi-national crew comprised of Taiwanese, Chinese, Filipinos, Vietnamese, Indonesians and Kenyans is still missing. When FV WIN FAR 161 was captured by Somalis, who had followed the vessel close to the Seychelles , the other WIN FAR vessels were called back to Taiwan. The Taiwanese real shipowner of FV TAWARIQ 1, who is said to also have had his part in FV WIN FAR 161, which recently was released from Somalia with some dead bodies on board - is wanted by the authorities too. Information received now says the vessel (INTMAS) is around the Seychelles.

MT AGIA BARBARA: INDIAN AND SYRIAN CREW STILL WANTED FOR MURDER - vessel escaped from Somalia after the murder of a TFG policeman and the attempted murder of another to the UAE - unhindered by international naval forces. See our respective updates for details.

FV WIN FAR 161 - The freed vessel returned under mainland China's naval escort back to Taiwan, but an independent investigation into the death of at least one Chinese and one Indonesian sailor has not yet been undertaken.

1 YEMENI BOAT : Missing since 11. January 2010 from Warsha Island in Alaraj area in Yemen's province of Hudaida (not yet counted on list of pirated vessels - but mentioned here as alert). Originally two dhows had gone missing on the same day, but one - MSV AL HADRAMI 73 - was found by EU NAVFOR with the vessel abandoned and the crew missing, which apparently had left the vessel with a skiff because the engine had broken down. The vessel was towed back to Yemen and handed over to the owner on 20th February.

Legal Dispute: MV LEILA - The Panama-flagged but UAE owned Ro-Ro cargo ship of 2,292 grt with IMO NO. 7302794 and MMSI NO. 352723000 , is held at the Somaliland port of Berbera since September 15, 2009 at gunpoint and under a court order in a legal dispute between Somaliland authorities, cargo owners and the ship-owner. Somali company Omar International claims cargo damages caused by fire on MV MARIAM STAR who caught fire on the upper deck while at Berbera port in early September of 2009. MV MIRIAM STAR - a fleet-sistership - is likewise still at Berbera, but without crew.
The roll-on-roll-off vessel MV LEILA is owned by AL ALEELY GMGH in Dubai. The crew has not been paid by UAE-based ship-manager Al-Hufoof Shipping & Forwarding since five month and consists of 14 seafarers - 7 from India, 3 (incl. Captain) from Sri Lanka, 2 from Pakistan and 2 from Somalia. The crew and vessel are not covered by an ITF Agreement.
"The crew of ill-fated ro-ro ship MV LEILA is being held hostage at the port of Berbera by Somali businessmen owing to a deal which has gone sour . Captain and crew are desperate and pleaded for international assistance ," Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarer's Assistance Programme confirmed by telephone from Mombasa, Kenya. The 1973 built rust-bucket is apparently in a very bad shape too and the condition of vessel and crew are deteriorating. The crew asked for urgent international intervention and assistance. ECOTERRA Intl. is giving assistance to provide relief and ensure the safe repatriation of the crew. The crew had run out of food and one crew member had to be taken already to Hargeisa for medical treatment. The harbour master of Berbera was helpful, but the court order to hold the ship still stands, though port manager and owner say the official letter would arrive soon that the vessel is free. Meanwhile the diplomatic missions of India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have also been involved and have now all agreed to provide tickets for the evacuation of the crew already. The crew has received provisions as aid but it is hoped that also a breakthrough will be achieved by the diplomatic missions with the ship-owner to pay the over six month of salaries and to repatriate all the crew. The Somali authorities have indirectly impounded the crew, despite that they say they had not. But what do you call a situation when the Port Manager says you are free, but you are not allowed to leave the harbour, because he is obviously colluding with the shipowner, though all the crew have resigned and only want to go home with their rightful dues. The abandoned crew of MV LEILA feels that they are mistreated even worse than the pirates treat the sailors on sea-jacked ships. Obviously the official heading Berbera Ports Authority, a Mr. Omar Ali, is the main obstacle, because he said he couldn't do the one right thing to do and allow the evacuation of the expatriate crew - demanded by all diplomatic missions, whose nationals are among the crew - without instructions from his minister in Hargeisa. He, however seems to be above ministers and the Hargeisa governance. Only the Indian crew has so far been evacuated on 01. March 2009 to Nairobi. The Sri Lankan captain and his mates will also have to wait for another day, because the captain according to port manager Omar Ali has to first officially hand over the vessel and the three last of the expatriate crew will then fly out together with the two Pakistanis. The cat and mouse game however continues with no relief crew arriving in Berbera. Hostage taking by an ignorant vessel owner as well as the administration of Somaliland is the clear picture. On Saturday, 06 March 2009, the Sri Lankan captain reported that even the cook and food supplies were withheld - this problem, however, could be resolved on Sunday. ECOTERRA Intl. is searching for a qualified Somali captain and chief engineer to relieve the expat crew.

FV SAKOBA: At 07h04 UTC on 08 March 2010 Kenya-flagged FV SAKOBA was in position 00°52'N-046°56'E. The fishing vessel was/is used as a pirate platform and poses a threat to mariners.
All vessels navigating in the Indian Ocean are advised to consider keeping East of 60E when routing North/South and to consider routing East of 60E and South of 10S when proceeding to and from ports in South Africa, Tanzania and Kenya.
FV SAKOBA is a fishing vessel, presently flying Kenyan flag, which has become infamous in the fish-poaching world since many years and its clandestine operations are very well known to several environmental organizations.

In 2005 FV SAKOBA, then registered with Malaka Shipping, Ghana, and with a crew of Kenyan-Spaniards and Kenyans was involved in a serious incident, whereby a Kenyan seaman got seriously injured off the Kenyan coast. It is therefore assumed that this vessel is not sea-jacked but operates in co-operation with the Somali sea-shifta. To be "hijacked" is a nice cover for a crooked crew to operate in criminal operations, be it illegal fishing, smuggling, trafficking or hijacking other vessels. In the clandestine world of vessels sailing under Flag of Convenience (FOC), FV SAKOBA is a special case. FV SAKOBA arrived late afternoon on 10 March 2010 at the Central Somali coast near Harardheere, where it is anchored now. The vessel was allegedly used in the sea-jacking of UBT OCEAN.
The sixteen men crew consists of one Spaniard of Portuguese origin as captain, the chief engineer from Poland, ten Kenyans, two Senegalese and one sailor each from Namibia and Cape Verde. The Spanish owner of the vessel holds 99.9% of the shares in the Kenyan registered company, which exports the fish to Europe via a Spanish company. Owner is now in Nairobi and had reportedly contact with the group holding the vessel.
THIS INFORMATION IS ALSO A WARNING TO VESSELS TRAVERSING THE SOMALI BASIN TO BE AWARE OF LARGER VESSELS BEING USED AS PIRACY LAUNCHING PADS.

CASES IN NEGOTIATIONS:

Genuine members of families of the abducted seafarers can call +254-733-633-733 for further details or send an e-mail in any language to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sea-jacked British couple, Paul and Rachel Chandler, aged 58 and 55, were abducted from their 38-ft yacht S/Y LYNN RIVAL, seized October 22, 2009 en route to Tanzania, and are still held in Somalia. The yacht was recovered by the crew of UK naval vessel Waveknight, after they witnessed the transfer of the Chandlers to commandeered MV KOTA WAJAR. The yacht was brought back to England. The elderly couple is now held on land close to Harardheere, sometimes separated for fear of a commando attack . The case is turning more and more ugly with pirates becoming brutal, politicians ignorant and the financially incapable family intimidated by several sidelines, whose money-guided approach is undermining bids by local elders, human rights groups and the Somali Diaspora to get the innocent couple free. Some humanitarian efforts, however, are now under way and Somali elders, respected leaders and the Somali Diaspora have renewed their demand for an unconditional release. Latest reports from the ground say that the couple is now treated better, though they often are kept separated for fear of a military rescue attempt. The health of both elderly people is reportedly deteriorating rapidly. Relief and medicine has been sent by a humanitarian organization.

MV THERESA VIII: Seized on Nov. 16, 2009. The chemical tanker was hijacked in the southern Somali Basin, north-west of the Seychelles. The 22,294 dwt tanker has a crew of now only 28 North Koreans, since the captain of the tanker died from gunshot wounds sustained during the hijack. The vessel went sometimes to Garacad but then returned to Harardheere area, where it is held 5,3 nm off the beach. The exact main content of the vessel as well as of some additional cargo is not known and the case is shrouded in secrecy. Apparently a conflict had also developed among pirates on board and their masterminds on land. Already several times it was said that the negotiations had concluded and release operations were near, but there is still a conflict among the pirates themselves, whom the company broker had tried to divide.

MV SOCOTRA 1: Seized December 25. 2009. The vessel carrying a food cargo for a Yemeni businessman and bound for Socotra Archipelago was captured in the Gulf of Aden after it left Alshahir port in the eastern province of Hadramout. 6 crew members of Yemeni nationality were aboard. Latest information said the ship was commandeered onto the high seas between Oman and Pakistan, possibly in another piracy or smuggling mission. VESSEL STILL MISSING.

MT ST JAMES PARK: Seized December 28, 2009 at position 12°58'4N-48°34'1E which is in the Gulf of Aden International Recognised Transit Corridor (IRTC), while on voyage from Tarragona, Spain to Tha Phut, Thailand. The registered owner PHILBOX Ltd. is fronting for the management company ZODIAC MARITIME AGENCIES LTD in London, while the beneficial owners are the Ofer Brothers - the Israeli brothers Sammy and Yehuda (Yuli) Ofer . There are 26 crew members on board including the Russian captain and their nationalities are: 6 Indian, 5 Bulgarian, 3 Russian, 3 Filipinos, 3 Turkish, 2 Romanian, 2 Ukrainian, 1 Polish, 1 Georgian. The ship was registred with MSC HOA and was transiting north west towards the International Recommended Transiting Corridor that she was expected to enter 3 Jan. The UK-flagged chemical tanker sent a security alert 14:20 GMT (17:20 Local Time) she also sent an unspecified distress message which was received by RCC Piraeus. The St James Park loaded at Assemini and Tarragona her cargo of 13,175 tonnes of 1,2-dichloroethane - commonly known by its old name of ethylene dichloride (EDC) and used in the manufacturing of plastics and not dangerous in normal carriage conditions. However, 1,2-dichloroethane is toxic (especially by inhalation due to its high vapour pressure), corrosive, highly flammable, and possibly carcinogenic. Its high solubility and 50-year half-life in anoxic aquifers make it a perennial pollutant and health risk that is very expensive to treat conventionally, requiring a method of bioremediation. The vessel's last port of call was Jeddah, where she stopped for Bunkers on 24th December 2009. The tanker was held near Garacad at the North-Eastern Somali coast. During the night of 16./17. February a naval vessel came close and provoked heavy gun-fire from the pirates of MV ST JAMES PARK as well as from neighbouring MV RIM. After the incident, in which the naval vessel didn't return fire and left, MV ST JAMES PARK changed position first to Kulub and is now held off Dhinoowda Qoryaweyn. Negotiations have become difficult and are said to have not been finalized but are ongoing.

VC ASIAN GLORY: Seized January 02, 2010. The UK-flagged, UK-owned car carrier was taken around 620nm off the Somali coast in the Indian Ocean, while after leaving the South Korean port of Ulsan en route from Singapore to the Gulf of Aden and Saudi Arabia. The 25 crew members -- eight Bulgarians, including the captain, 10 Ukrainians, five Indians, two Romanians are said to be unharmed. DAYER MARITIME INC fronts as registered owners for the management company ZODIAC MARITIME AGENCIES LTD and the real owners, the Ofer Brothers - the Israeli brothers Sammy and Yehuda (Yuli) Ofer . The vessel was first held near Hobyo at the Central Somali coast. From there it was commandeered now twice out to sea to aid pirate motherships. VC ASIAN GLORY in both cases was after rescuing these pirates taken back to the Somali coast, in the first instance to Garacad, in the second to Danaane and the floating pirate base was then held 4.8nm off Hobyo again at the Central Indian Ocean coast of Somalia. though Iranian media had reported her release already, stating it transported weapons destined for Saudi Arabia. Negotiations to release the vessel seem to still have not reached a conclusion, while the vessel was commandeered again to a location a little arther off the coast near Garacad.

MV RIM: Seized February 02, 2010. The North-Korean-flagged, Libyan owned general cargo vessel MV RIM was captured - en route from Eritrea to presumably Yemen - in the north-western Gulf of Aden just south of the Yemeni coast on 2nd February 2009 . Though a coalition ship USS PORTER that works closely with EU NAVFOR and a helicopter from USS FARRAGUT, both of CMF CTF 151, confirmed that the RIM had been hijacked, EU NAVFOR headquarters first declined to confirm the report on 2nd to Somalia's anti-piracy envoy - only to report it then a day later.
EU NAVFOR then stated that the vessel was sea-jacked to the north of the Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor (IRTC), was not registered with MSC HOA and has had no communications with UKMTO, the British operation in Bahrain.
The relatively small coastal cargo ship of 4,800 tonnes is still listed in the ship registers as being owned by White Sea Shipping of Tripoli in Libya, while in reality it was allegedly sold now to another company for her last cargo trip with a load of clay and with a final destination at the scrapyards in India.
Her crew comprises at the moment of 10 sailors - all of Syrian nationality. An actual crew-list has now been provided. The vessel and crew are neither covered by an ITF Agreement nor an appropriate insurance.
The ship was first commandeered to the Somali Gulf of Aden coast near LasKorey where it encountered Puntland forces and the pirates exchanged fire with them. Then it sailed around the tip of the very Horn of Africa to Garacad on the Indian Ocean side.
The vessel has been moved from Garacad - because local elders protested - to Kulub, where it is held 5.3 nm off the shore at the North-Eastern Indian Ocean coast of Somalia. Negotiations between the pirates and the owners have commenced, while nosy naval vessels nearby drew in one case fire from the pirates. Numerous sidelines opened by Somali brokers make the case difficult.

M.S.V. ABDUL RAZAK: Seized before February 23, 2010 and after 17 November 2008 (latest contact). The 40m ship with 9 crew of Indian nationality was captured by Somali sea-shifta. on her way from Kandala to Dubai. No information concerning the condition of the crew was immediately available.
So far the vessel had been reported only as missing or lost at sea by the owner.
Reportedly a 7 men gang of sea-shifta from Garacad, a notorious pirate den at the Indian Ocean coast of North-Eastern Somalia, is/was commandeering the vessel.
Latest informations indicate that the vessel was already misused as pirate mother-ship far off in the Indian Ocean. An intensive search by ECOTERRA Intl. along the coast revealed that it is at present not at the Somali coasts.
Upcoming information says that it might have been involved in an encounter with an Asian naval vessel at the end of February 2009.

SOMALILAND LORRIES: Seized February 25, 2010. Seven lorries and at least 9 persons from their driver-crews of Isaak ethnicity from Somaliland were captured by a gang of sea-shifta from Garacad in order to press their comrades free from Somaliland jails. No financial demands have been made. According to sources close to the pirates, the trucks are been kept in small town near the pirate lair of Garacad called Kulub.

FV AL-SHURA: Seized after February 20, 2010 and most likely on 25th February with one of 9 sailors being killed by Somali pirate-attackers. Present location of Yemeni vessel and crew unknown. Navies have apparently not yet located the dhow.

BB AL-NISR-AL-SAUDI: Seized on March 01, 2010. The relatively small bunker barge Al Nisr Al Saudi was empty when it was taken. The captain of the ship is Greek and the nationality of the 13 other crew is Sri Lankan. All crew is believed to be safe.
The 5,136 ton ship was not registered with maritime authorities and was outside the designated route that naval warships patrol.The vessel is currently held at Garacad and communications between the pirates and the owner have been established.

MT UBT OCEAN: seized on March 05, 2010. The Marshall Islands-flagged, Norwegian owned oil-product tanker with 21 crew from Burma was captured between the Seychelles and Tanzania in the Indian Ocean while heading towards Dar es Salaam at position 04°34'S-048°09'E at 06h39 UTC (0939 LT). The 120 m long 9,224dwt tanker belongs to shipowners Brovigtank and is managed by
Singapore-based Nautictank. The tanker has been commandeered to the coast near Harardheere at the Central Somali Indian Ocean coast, where vessel and crew are held now 4.3 nm off the beach. It is said that FV SAKOBA was involved in the sea-jacking of the Norwegian tanker.
~ * ~

With the latest captures and releases now still at least 9 seized foreign vessels (11 sea-related hostage cases since yacht SY LYNN RIVAL was abandoned and taken by the British Navy) with a total of not less than 148 crew members (incl. the British sailing couple) plus at least 9 crew of the lorries held for an exchange with imprisoned pirates, are accounted for. The cases are monitored on our actual case-list, while several other cases of ships, which were observed off the coast of Somalia and have been reported or had reportedly disappeared without trace or information, are still being followed too. Over 134 incidences (including attempted attacks, averted attacks and successful sea-jackings) had been recorded for 2008 with 49 fully documented, factual sea-jacking cases for Somalia and the mistaken sinking of one sea-jacked fishing vessel and killing of her crew by the Indian naval force. For 2009 the account closed with 228 incidences (incl. averted or abandoned attacks) with 68 vessels seized for different reasons on the Somali/Yemeni captor side as well as at least TWELVE wrongful attacks (incl. one friendly fire incident) on the side of the naval forces.
For 2010 the recorded account stands at 26 attacks resulting in 7 sea-jackings.
The naval alliances had since August 2008 and until January 2010 apprehended 666 suspected pirates, detained and kept or transferred for prosecution 367, killed 47 and wounded 22 Somalis. (New independent update see: http://bruxelles2.over-blog.com/pages/_Bilan_antipiraterie_Atalanta_CTF_Otan_Russie_Exclusif-1169128.html).
Not fully documented cases of absconded vessels are not listed in the sea-jack count until clarification. Several other vessels with unclear fate (although not in the actual count), who were reported missing over the last ten years in this area, are still kept on our watch-list, though in some cases it is presumed that they sunk due to bad weather or being unfit to sail - like the S/Y Serenity, MV Indian Ocean Explorer.Present multi-factorial risk assessment code: GoA: ORANGE / IO: RED (Red = Very much likely, high season; Orange = Reduced risk, but very likely, Yellow = significantly reduced risk, but still likely, Blue = possible, Green = unlikely). Piracy incidents usually degrade during the monsoon season and rise gradually by the end of the monsoon. Starting from mid February until early April every year an increase in piracy cases can be expected.
For further details and regional information see the Somali Marine and Coastal Monitor at www.australia.to

original story here :
http://australia.to/2010/index.php?...tus-of-abducted-vessels-in-somalia&Itemid=132

 

[Thagarr]

Sorry for the lack of updates the past week mates, I'm still working overtime and have been fighting off a nasty cold as well. I am still trying to keep an eye on things, I am just a lot slower than normal. Hopefully the next couple of weeks things will slow down a bit and I can get back to doing the really important stuff, searching for booty!!

Looks like pirates are back in the Caribbean :

No sign of Parika boat captain
By Stabroek staff | March 23, 2010 in Local News
-family remains hopeful

Relatives of boat captain Vasdeo Persaud remain hopeful he somehow survived the pirate attack on his vessel last Thursday but continued to hold a wake.

“I can’t tell the world that me brother died because me ain’t see he die,” his sister, Dhanpattie said yesterday. She said they have no new information since Sunday. Persaud is missing and feared drowned after pirates forced him and his crew into the waters off the Venezuelan Coast in a vicious attack on Thursday.

Persaud, 39, of Parika Façade, East Bank Essequibo and a three-man crew left Parika last Tuesday on the fishing boat Sudesh to fish in the Atlantic Ocean. On Thursday, they were attacked by pirates and forced into the waters. The three crewmembers were saved after clinging to a buoy for hours. They said Persaud drowned. One of the fisherman, identified as ‘Pepie’ is hospitalised in Venezuela with burns on his feet, which were sustained in the pirate attack.

Deodat Bissoon, the owner of the Sudesh had told Stabroek News that it is the first time that Persaud was captaining his boat. He said last Tuesday morning, the vessel left Parika with Persaud and three crewmembers and at 8 am last Friday he received a call from someone in Venezuela. He said the person reported that his boat was hijacked while it was off the mouth of a river in Venezuela’s waters.

Bissoon said he was told that at about 11 am on Thursday, four pirates in a vessel approached the Sudesh and shouted to the crew that they wanted them out of the boat. He said the pirates were armed with guns and were not wearing masks. Bissoon said the crew did not come out and went to the back of the Sudesh. However, he said, the pirates sprayed fuel in that area and threw a lighted matchstick or wick but it did not ignite the fuel. By this time, he said, the crew had run to the front of the Sudesh. But the pirates followed and threw fuel there as well. This time, it ignited. Some of the fuel had spilled on the men’s feet and this burned as well, Bissoon said.

With the cabin on fire and their feet burning, the crew jumped into the water. Bissoon said he was told that there was a buoy about a mile and a half away and the men began to swim in this direction. The men struggled to reach the buoy and one of the crew heard as Persaud cried for help and then disappeared in the water.

The remaining three crewmembers clung to the buoy for hours until they were rescued by a Venezuelan boat. They were taken for medical attention and Pepie was hospitalized.

A search party was looking for Persaud’s body and Bissoon said yesterday it has not been found. He said he was told that the water was rough. Pepie’s relatives reportedly took him out of the Venezuelan hospital yesterday. The two other crewmembers are expected back in the country at the end of this week.

Original story here :
http://www.stabroeknews.com/2010/stories/03/23/no-sign-of-parika-boat-captain/

And this...

Fishermen saved after pirates leave them to die

(CNN) -- An Iranian fishing boat crew who were tied up, robbed and then left to die by Somali pirates have been rescued by a European Union naval force, officials said Monday.

The rescue was carried out Saturday by the Spanish warship Navarra, the EU's Naval Force Somalia said in a news release. The 13 crew members from the fishing vessel, named UAID 400, had been left without food, water or fuel after a pirate attack days before, it said.

The Navarra was dispatched Friday and its helicopter located the vessel early the next morning, the release said. "The crew were seen on deck waving their arms and making desperate signs for help as the helicopter approached them," it said.

Once the Navarra arrived, a boarding party confirmed the vessel's radio equipment was broken and mobile phones were not working, according to the EU Naval Force.

"The crew were already drinking sea water and there was no food onboard," the news release said. "The crew confirmed that it had been four days since the attack."

The crew reported that pirates had kept them tied up for two days without food or water, and they looted the vessel and took the crew members' possessions, the release said. The warship provided the vessel with food, water and enough fuel to get to shore.

"The Iranian crew, who are now all well, were extremely grateful for [the EU Naval Force's] quick reaction to their distress call that clearly saved their lives," the release said.

The naval force's main mission is to escort ships carrying humanitarian aid in the Indian Ocean and protect other ships in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean from piracy.

Original story here :
http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/africa/03/22/somalia.eu.pirates/