British Couple Released After a Year in Captivity

[Extemporaneous]

I think their charge is not supporting the family.
"While the couple say they received "excellent support" from the FCO following their release, they criticise the support offered to their family during the ordeal."
"Writing in the book, they say: "We realise that once we were within Somalia, the government could do little directly to help us but they could and should have done more to support our close family members."

Or perhaps I've missed more than you did.

Extemp.

Originally Posted by Eleven

I think the Chandlers are way out of order. Remember they woke to find the 'pirates' in their cabin! One way to keep watch in dangerous waters. It's not as if they were catnapping on deck, they were tucked up cosy, fast asleep for the night. Obviously they were relying on Gordon Blair to rescue them, or send the RNLI if they got rundown, or a destroyer or two if they ran out of petrol.
We are responsible for our own actions. To criticise others for failing to risk lives in a desperate bid to rescue two people at the same time, in different locations, deep into bandit country. It's been tried before, and failed.
Only the Israelis seem to have the skills, equipment and courage to make a success of that sort of operation.

[Extemporaneous]

Ah... Protection Money I mean Insurance Premiums.
Good Idea!

Extemp.

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I dunno about Somali Registration, but Somali Insurance might well be a goer (won't be cheap).......if boarded by Pirates you simply show them the paperwork ..........and they will be aware that if they do capture you that the Somali based "underwriters" will be knocking on there doors. and the doors of there families - a private sector business approach that does yield results. and with the right underwriters involved you don't even need to knock on any doors.

Could be that as an additional incentive not to capture you that they get a bonus when ashore of $1,000 (not enough to warrant capturing yachts as a trade, but covers the fuel and a few beers (? ).

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

I dunno about Somali Registration, but Somali Insurance might well be a goer (won't be cheap).......if boarded by Pirates you simply show them the paperwork ..........and they will be aware that if they do capture you that the Somali based "underwriters" will be knocking on there doors. and the doors of there families - a private sector business approach that does yield results. and with the right underwriters involved you don't even need to knock on any doors.

Could be that as an additional incentive not to capture you that they get a bonus when ashore of $1,000 (not enough to warrant capturing yachts as a trade, but covers the fuel and a few beers (? ).

Do they have doors in Somalia? Im interested in their stock market...seems like the returns are pretty good!seems like a good market for some "Insider Trading"

[S/V Alchemy]

No one should suffer a kidnapping, but just as one does not put one's fingers in a running blender and then complain later about only being able to count to eight, there's a certain absence of prudence that may have been at play here.

At sea, you keep a watch. In the tropics, in benign weather, you might even sleep in the cockpit to keep the watchstander "company". Had they kept a watch, they might have got off a flare, a MAYDAY and been able to take evasive actions, all of which might have affected the eventual outcome.

I can't stop what goes on in other countries, lawless or not, but I can stay informed and reroute my passage as needed in order to "refuse to play that game".

[David_Old_Jersey]

Glad the insurance idea is a goer. Just send me the Premiums

But in truth, a large risk of the underwriters simply pocketing the cash. But if I was in London (or New York?) with a large Somali expat community - and I already knew my way around them, at least enough to learn more about who is what etc, then IMO something like that is not impossible to arrange. But I sure as sh#t wouldn't be visiting Somalia

Although my preferred option would be for the international community to train up a Somali Coastguard (even if initially essentially floating warlords ) who could either offer convoy protection or simply anti-piracy patrolling.........the big advantage (over the western forces) that they have in tackling Piracy is that they won't be too fussy about survivors - and the Pirates will know that, so unless they are already aboard a merchant vessel (as a steel firing platform), they will be fooked......and depending on the warlord chosen, could also extract onshore retribution.

[NeptunesTrident]

Somolia is real low on my list of places to visit.

[Extemporaneous]

Originally Posted by tropicalescape

Do they have doors in Somalia? Im interested in their stock market...seems like the returns are pretty good!seems like a good market for some "Insider Trading"

(Reuters) - In Somalia's main pirate lair of Haradheere, the sea gangs have set up a cooperative to fund their hijackings offshore, a sort of stock exchange meets criminal syndicate.

Extemp.

[chp]

With the navies of the world out there, why don't they blow some of these SOB's out of the water instead of a slap on the wrist and don't do it again.
There is a show called mighty ships that was doing an episode on a dutch frigate that caught some pirates that were attacking a cargo ship. All they did was take away their weapons, gave some fuel and fixed their motor. They were good to steal another day. Looks like piracy is the best way to make a living these days. AArgh matey.

[sailorboy1]

Where the heck is that pirate flag thread, did I make a wrong turn to get here? Aren't those sammies just being carefree?

[timbenner]

Originally Posted by Astrid

The average non-combat trained person on a boat would probably wind up doing himself, his boat and any passengers in with that sort of arsenal on board.

What's the logic that a boat captain can sail the world, navigate, engineer and repair his boat, but is incapable of aiming and firing a weapon?? Speak for yourself and your own incapabilities, don't pass judgement on the capabilities of others. Especially when your real agenda is to impose your misguided beliefs on others.

There's a reason that you don't find boat boarding crime in the Bahamas. Most boats are armed, the criminals know it and the Bahamian Government encourages self protection - criminals resort to OTHER CRIMES. Unlike the rest of the Caribbean, where the criminals know that they can board you boat armed to the teeth, beat you half to death and steel you blind, with little risk, because their Government has disarmed you.http://www.cruisersforum.com/images/...s/banghead.gif

[SaucySailoress]

Hi guys. There is a fine line between funny and offensive, especially when it comes to politics. I have deleted several comments which included insults to govts and political figures, in line with our rules. If you've forgotten them there's a link at the foot of the page.

whilst there is a lot of interest in this topic, please make an effort to keep your posts respectful and useful.

Thanks

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by Extemporaneous

(Reuters) - In Somalia's main pirate lair of Haradheere, the sea gangs have set up a cooperative to fund their hijackings offshore, a sort of stock exchange meets criminal syndicate.

Extemp.

Lady said she got 78,000 dollars in 38 days ..I like those returns...aaa was them US dollars
Somethings not right with this picture..a rocket launcher for a divorse settlment?Damn..and I thought the girls down in South Carolina were tough!DVC

[tropicalescape]

Originally Posted by SaucySailoress

Hi guys. There is a fine line between funny and offensive, especially when it comes to politics. I have deleted several comments which included insults to govts and political figures, in line with our rules. If you've forgotten them there's a link at the foot of the page.

whilst there is a lot of interest in this topic, please make an effort to keep your posts respectful and useful.

Thanks

Ha ha ha cant get me I aint going there!LoL
DVC

[damnfinesailor]

Recently read an article about mercenaries (South African as I recall) on board a merchant ship in this area. A couple of shots across the bows of the approaching pirate skiff stopped the attack, but it was close. The vessel could see the skiff's mothership, radioed in the location, but the patrolling naval vessels never responded.
Spoke with a captain last winter of an American registered megayacht, whose name I'll withhold. They had two mercs on board, wasn't cheap...the bridge crew were issued kevlar vests, the rest of the crew was instructed, in the case of an attack, to proceed to a lockdown room that couldn't be opened from outside.
They had no problems, but nearby vessels were harassed during their passage. Word is, a lot of the private vessels are now arming themselves - and you'll notice, not many of them seem to be attacked either.
Seems to me if the pirates were aware that they won't survive an attack, they are fairly unlikely to attack. The big mistake was pussyfooting around and paying ransoms when all this started. Now the pirates have the money to go big, and they aren't going home.

[Extemporaneous]

Originally Posted by damnfinesailor

They had no problems, but nearby vessels were harassed

"were harassed"
What does that mean.