French yacht seized by Somali pirates

[S/V Elusive]

While geography isn't my forte, I'm pretty sure Venezuela isn't very close to Somalia.

And the other ... 2005, three years ago. Not bad ... not bad. One attack in 3 1/2 years... ::shrug::

[David_Old_Jersey]

Originally Posted by David_Old_Jersey

The British Govt on the other hand have a history of principles - which is really an excuse to do b#gger all. If lucky you would get a junior civil servant in the Foreign Office writing "a Stiff Letter" to the Somali Times.

Further to my earlier post, seems the Foreign Office have been busy after all............from Today's Sunday Times:-

"THE Royal Navy, once the scourge of brigands on the high seas, has been told by the Foreign Office not to detain pirates because doing so may breach their human rights.

Warships patrolling pirate-infested waters, such as those off Somalia, have been warned that there is also a risk that captured pirates could claim asylum in Britain.

The Foreign Office has advised that pirates sent back to Somalia could have their human rights breached because, under Islamic law, they face beheading for murder or having a hand chopped off for theft."

Pirates can claim UK asylum - Times Online

[Alan Wheeler]

a risk that captured pirates could claim asylum in Britain.

Hardly, because the British Government has to accept the claim and they often do not. We often have similar situations here,(we have the same British law) where the "over stayer" usually, claims asylum and even warns that they could be murdered upon their return, yet they get sent back anyway. Only one or two end it fighting it through court and get to stay. They have to have a pretty strong case though, and it is usually family here in NZ that awards them the ability to stay.

[GordMay]

Reliable international news agencies including the BBC are reporting that the crew of the French flagged yacht Le Ponant, seized by pirates in the Gulf of Aden on April 4, has been freed and that a French commando force has carried out a helicopter raid against a group of Somali pirates.

The 850-tonne luxury yacht and her 30-man crew had been forced by pirates to sail to Eyl in the northern Somali semi-autonomous Puntland region, where she dropped anchor off the port. It has been reported that the pirates demanded and were paid a US$2 million ransom by the yacht's French operators, CMA-CGM.

General Jean-Louis Georgelin, chief of staff of the French armed forces, has said the pirates released the hostages without incident earlier on Friday, one week after their capture. Once the crew had been brought ashore safely, French attack helicopters tracked the pirates, believed to be fishermen, to the village of Jariban and moved in when they saw some of them attempting to flee the scene, the general said.

The governor of Mudug, Abdul Kadir Ahmed, said three bodies had been recovered after the operation and that eight people had been wounded in the raid. France denied there had been any casualties at the same time as confirming that no public money was paid to the pirates. Describing the involvement of French troops as "intervention, not pulverisation", General Georgelin added that his troops had also recovered from the scene "interesting bags" and "some of the ransom".

A sniper disabled the engine of the get-away car, while another helicopter dropped off three French commandos who captured six of the 12 pirates. The pirates "gave themselves up without too much difficulty", the general said, adding that those captured would be handed over to French justice officials.

In a statement issued in Paris, French President Nicolas Sarkozy earlier thanked the French military for their role in ending the crisis, expressing his deep gratitude to the armed forces and all the state services which enabled a rapid and peaceful solution to this hostage-taking. France has troops in nearby Djibouti and also participates in a multi-national naval force that patrols this part of the Indian Ocean.

[Tellie]

"Describing the involvement of French troops as "intervention, not pulverisation"


Pulverisation works for me.

Freeman sailing

[Celestialsailor]

My feeling is as the world economy continues to implode, we will see an increase of piracy. First in the areas mentioned and perhaps some new hotspots will pop up.

[GordMay]

The Spanish tuna boat, “Playa de Bakio”, was boarded and apparently seized, by 4 pirates armed with grenade launchers, while it was fishing in Somali waters" at 1100 GMT on Sunday, April 20/08. .

On Monday (April 21/08), a Japanese oil tanker was damaged, and then chased by heavily armed pirates off the coasts of Somalia and Yemen.

Last year more than 25 ships were seized by pirates in Somali coastal waters despite US navy patrols.

Goto:
seMissourian.com: Story: Pirates attack Japanese tanker, Spanish boat in Gulf of Aden

[Lodesman]

On June 2, the UN Security Council passed resolution 1816, which allows foreign warships to treat Somali territorial waters as if they're the high seas, with respect to chasing and prosecuting pirates. ODS HOME PAGE

It's left to be seen if the Western navies take this opportunity to clean up the pirate problem. The pre-existing issues of what they will need to do with the pirates apparently remain - that is they have to turn them over to the Transitional government of Somalia for prosecution.

More topical, this site has some photos of the Le Ponant incident that didn't make it into the media: 2008 Nightmare - S/V Le Ponant PIRATE ATTACK

As you can see by the picture of the pirates' skiffs, it's evident they used a "mother-ship".

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

More topical, this site has some photos of the Le Ponant incident that didn't make it into the media: 2008 Nightmare - S/V Le Ponant PIRATE ATTACK

Thanks for the link.

PS
Is that site hard to read and navigate or am I just a ?

[Lodesman]

Therapy,

You're right about the site - not user-friendly, but lots of great photos and stories.


Kevin

[Boracay]

There is an article in the online Sail World magazine about a private French military firm signing a contract with the Somali government.

[fullafrisky]

If history has told us anything, it is that you "can not negotiate with terrorist". Either pay the ransom or use force to extricate the hostages. These pirates feel France is an easy target because of France's passive stance on other terrorist issues. I bet there would not be capture of a Chinese or Russian vessel. It seems that bullies usually pick on those they consider the weakest. I believe I might fly a flag of a more aggressive country while traveling in harms way. I would also have a method of defending myself if I were to travel in these waters. I certainly would not allow the pirates to easily take me and my family/crew hostage, knowing that my fate may be sealed after I was escorted off my boat. The pirates are said to be human smugglers, which kinda tells me that their value for life is a bit under prioritized. The ex Marine in the above response knew how to deal with impending danger. He probably saved his and his crews lives. The pirates know that Americans and Europeans are a passive bunch, and would rely on this assumption to create opportunities.