Hostages Taken off Somalia

[swagman]

Originally Posted by JiffyLube

Yes I am aware. Read this Noonsite: Seychelles: Cruising Couple Kidnapped by Somali Pirates

My apologies.

I had no reason to check out how far the Somali pirates now ranged to find targets so now knowing this I have to agree, these guys could have chosen to cruise elsewhere.

As I guess they're beginning to realise.

It was an expensive lesson. Like all others, let us hope they get out of it safe and sound.

JOHN

[Eleven]

LATEST ON THE 30th.
Boat has been found, deserted and adrift, by the UK Navy.
The Chandlers have been in touch with ITN, the other big news channel in the UK, again on the 30th. Apparently well but distressed. This morning, 31st a ransom of 7 million dollars has been levied.

[Eleven]

There was some one asking advice on this site a couple of weeks back.
I blogged, among other things:-
Don't tell any one locally where or when you are going.
Strip off all radar detectables from your mast.
Change course after dusk and after dawn.
Keep a good binocular watch at night, especially pre dawn and post sunset.

Is there any value in convoying, they are well armed and able to take the whole convoy.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Eleven

Is there any value in convoying, they are well armed and able to take the whole convoy.

Yes, because they can't take the whole convoy and the other un-taken boats can keep up a steady stream of infomation to the authorities... unlike what happened here wher the navy failed to intercept beofre the coast.
If the navy can be given up to date info they will get them before the coast and then its ta ta pirates.

[creakyboy]

Would a convoy be easier for the pirates to find?

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by creakyboy

Would a convoy be easier for the pirates to find?

I don't know, but I was wondering if there was a good book on tactics used in convoys in WW2 that maybe usefull before our trip up.

Anyone know one?

[stevensc]

After this latest event I doubt (hope) enough boats willing to make the trip could be found to make up a convoy through the area.
Steve

[Eleven]

There has been talk of the 'navies' escorting vessels through.
There is a designated channel down the red sea where the navies try to keep patrols in place to support passing freight.
Freight nowadays runs at eighteen knots so a danger to yachties.
The WW2 tactics were secrecy, course changes and aggressive escorts.
It's a big problem if you are going that way.

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by MarkJ

I don't know, but I was wondering if there was a good book on tactics used in convoys in WW2 that maybe usefull before our trip up.

Anyone know one?

I think the convoy tactic was most useful against submarines & aircraft............this time next year?


One old British tactic used in that part of the world that might still be useful is the issue of "Gooley Chits"........... If the bearer was returned (alive and with his goolies still attached!) then 100 gold sovereigns was paid out no questions asked or penalty incurred.

Of course puts a bounty on the head of folk, but provides a means of resolving these issue with certainty for both sides.

[Stillraining]

Mark brings up a good point in the benefit of multiple boats ability to continue to communicate the situation better....I was however thinking he was going to say..."Yes because were on a cat and all we have to do is out run you ".
..


You know....The old tennis shoe and bear joke?......OK never mind....I'll go stand at my chart table..

Carry on.

[speakeasy]

I haven't closely followed the piracy stories, but realized that Somalia and The Straits of Mullucca & SE Asian coast were trouble spots. How about the north coast of Somalia? If the pirates are ranging 1000nm from the Somali coast, it would appear that the Red Sea route would be "asking for it" now also.

[TaoJones]

The common tactic in that area, speakeasy, is to hug the Yemeni coast. I don't know of any attacks from the north coast, but that doesn't mean it hasn't occurred.

I suspect it may be for the same reason that the police give for why burglars avoid houses in cul de sacs and prefer houses on street corners. The former pins them in, with only one exit. The latter gives them two avenues of escape.

The Somali pirates are going to be much harder to find in the vastness of the Indian Ocean than the relatively much smaller area at the mouth of the Red Sea.

TaoJones

[Rhoel_Asia]

Several points here.

Pirates operating 800 nm off-shore is really serious ... this is the same as not being able to sail the Bahamas due to Nicaraguan pirates. If you have any knowledge of the Indian Ocean routes, you will appreciate this effectively means all east -> West routes to South Africa are now at pirate risk. Basically to go from Asia to South Africa, you have to go counter clockwise around the Indian Ocean. Islands such as Diego Garcia (the finest anchorage in the Indian Ocean) are out, a prohibited area due to the UK leasing the island to the US for intelligence purposes.

So Sri Lanka -> Maldives -> Seychelles is the most logical and practical. From then its either the inside (west) route past Madagascar or East to Vingt Cinq -> Reunion -> South Africa.

But at a 1000nm, even islands such as Vingt Cinq (1m200nm) and Maldives (1500nm) are in danger.

Today the random demand for the Chandlers was given, "We only need a little amount of $7m." Predictably the UK Government to;d the pirates to bog off with their "little amount" - the Foreign Office communique stated "[Her Majesty's Government] HMG's policy remains clear: We will not make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including the payment of ransoms." For $7 million, the UK could wipe out Somalia, a thought I'm sure must appeal to certain quarters.

Paul and Rachel Chandler are in for a protracted wait whilst the Somalis get real: Time is not on the side of the pirates: Britain has a very good track record of using its special forces to end hostage taking. The news is getting worse - the hijacked Sirius Star is a Saudi (read Muslim) owned vessel and the Somali Islamic militias are now in hot pursuit of the Harardhere based pirates responsible.

The problem is the more the insurance companies pay out, the better equipped and resourceful the pirates become. Worse it inspires other fishermen to abandon their nets and take up the more profitable practice of hijacking.

My belief is a military action is planned: Over the past few months, much intelligence has been done into the operational bases, clans involved and their strategic weaknesses. The multinational military force available has significantly increased and the Somalis seizure of the Saudi VLCC Sirius Star concentrated minds as the 2m barrels of oil from Saudi Arabia was heading to the US; And America does not wish to have its oil supply messed with.

Perhaps the greedy residents of Harardhere might like to consider their dusty home turf is identical to that David Stirling and his original SAS team grew up in, and more importantly still train in. The SBS, on the other hand, regularly practice night assaults on commercial ships, using night vision, parachute and small craft, backed up by a heap of exotic weaponry which makes the pirate standard issue AK47 a poor second.

The next few weeks will be interesting but I would not be surprised to learn military force has been exercised. This stupid game has to end and pirates getting deaded is probably the only message which will be listened to.

Rhoel

[Eleven]

They are also people, struggling in a hard land.
Perhaps, since it would be so easy, we should solve the problems there.
Then move on to other countries where the greed of politicians force the population into crime.

[c-kow]

If they were holding up ships with handguns I'd be more inclined to believe that Eleven, however when you're investing in assault rifles and grenade launchers you've passed the point where you're trying to feed your family. This is a profitable business now, made that way because of the relative hopelessness of fighting back, the eagerness of some to pay ransoms, and the lack of decisive military action. I hope especially the last changes in the near future.

I do find it interesting that we can't hold nations accountable for not maintaining a degree of control on their population to the point where it disrupts international commerce and recreation.