Pirates seize South Korean trawler

[CaptainK]

Tuesday, April 4, 2006; Posted: 4:17 p.m. EDT (20:17 GMT)

Pirates hijacked a South Korean trawler off the coast of Africa on Tuesday, escaping into Somalia's territorial waters after threatening the ship's crew, the U.S. Navy reported.

The 160-foot fishing vessel Dong Won 628 was nearly 70 miles off the Somali coast when its crew reported coming under fire, the Navy said in a written statement.

The guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt and the Dutch frigate Zeven Provincien attempted to intercept the ship before it entered Somali waters, but backed off after the pirates threatened the trawler's crew with guns, the Navy said.

Navy spokesman Cmdr. Jeff Breslau told The Associated Press that when the Dong Won turned toward Somalia, one or both of the U.S. and Dutch ships fired warning shots in its direction. Members of the South Korean crew were then seen on the deck of the Dong Won with guns pointed at them, so the U.S. and Dutch ships pulled back.

"The top priority is the safety of innocent lives," the Navy statement said.

Somalia has been without a functioning central government for 15 years, and shipping insurer Lloyd's of London listed it as a "hot spot" for piracy in 2005. The targets are often U.N. World Food Program vessels carrying relief supplies and are frequently held for ransom.

Coalition officials fear Somalia could become a haven for the al Qaeda terrorist network, and a multinational task force has patrolled the waters off the Horn of Africa since late 2001. The Zeven Provincien is the task force's current flagship.

In March, two U.S. warships exchanged fire with suspected pirates off the coast, killing one and wounding five, the Navy said.

And in November, pirates aboard a speedboat fired rocket-propelled grenades at a 440-foot luxury cruise liner operated by Seabourn Cruise Lines. No one was hurt, and the liner's captain was able to get away before the pirates could board the ship.

[2divers]

I do do wish the the respective navies would use the honey pot idea. Borrow one or more ships over various sizes and types from a friendly nation or two and set up a sting operation with everyones favorite SEALS, Marines and NAVY. Pirates go out and just don't ever come back!

Whether it gets reported in the news or not, sooner or later (probably sooner) you start running out of bad guys when they realize that being a pirate means you have a substantial chance of just never coming home.

I mean lets make it all little more fun... Our special foreces guys deserve a nice fun sail, right! So you let half a dozen specail forces operatives crew a sailboat off the coast and look vunerable, drunk, etc. They get attacked and return fire and either resolve the problem themselves or call the submarine thats just below the surface as back up!

I know a number of special ops guys who would consider that a GOOD VACATION. Play on boats, drink beer and shoot guns at bad guys too! What more could a SEAL ask for?

[Alan Wheeler]

You can't look at it that way. Do a role reversal for a mo.
You have nothing. Absolutely nothing. You haven't eatin anything for a week, maybe even more. No money, no food and your family is dieing from starvation. I mean REALLY DIEING. It is so bad, it is not JUST about providing for your family anymore, it is survival mode. Just trying to keep yourself alive. That's were the nation of Somalia is at at the mo. Remember years ago the problem with drought in Somalia and thousands were dying each weak. Well the present Drought is like no one has ever seen before. If you don't get a handful of food, you die. If you don't get food to your family, they die. Coruption is like nothing you could believe. Mainly because it has become survival of the fittest. So the ones with the guns trying to keep some sense of order, also use the power to get themselves and their families food. The food relief being delivered tot he country by the UN, is not getting to the people.
While all this is going on, the politcial power of the country is just fine and dandy thank you very much and simply don't care. They are making money from the relief being sent to them. You just can't imagine the corruption.
Everyday, traffic at sea goes right past your shore. People with wealth beyond your wildest imagination.
What would YOU do.

If the world wants to solve the "Pirate" problem in the Somalian waters, then they have to address the issues of it's government and it's food.

This may not be totaly the same in other Pirate spots arouind the world, but we do have to remember, even though we ourselves feel poor and like we are traveling the world on a shoestring budget, to many other folks, we are like the Bill Gates's of this world. They simply can not dream of the wealth we have.

[Jentine]

Wheels, I can empathize with the poor starving wretches in Somalia, but I have a problem empathizing with some bastard with a gun trying to make me like him. It is the armed thugs with the guns that are pirating ships, not the poor starving wretches. Secondly, the world has sent every manner of relief to the poor starving wretches only to have it stolen by the government or lack thereof. Had I been the poor starving wretch (to answer your question) that had the money to buy boats, fuel, weapons and munitions to attack foreign vessels on the high seas (more than 60 miles off the shore), I would have bought a plane ticket out of there and gotten a decent job.

[CaptainK]

Also Alan.

You failed to fully realize. That in Somalia. There is no government. PERIOD!!!

The country is being run by clan warlords over there. And some of these "if not" all of these pirates are more likely working for one of the rival clans?

I "once" had a special forces friend. Who went over there in late 1992. Have you ever seen the movie, "Black Hawk Down"? Well, one of those guys was my firend. And he is dead now, cause the damn clans raised up and fought our military. While all we were trying to do is arrest just one single warlord, from just one clan. The largest clan!!

The UN sent their military in first. Then afterwards, after they realised that they needed help with the warring factions. They called on the US, since our military has alot of our forces still over in the gulf. Hence, this was just not long after the first gulf war. And they came over and assisted.

Tha famine in Somalia, has been going on for quite some time. The stronger clans fought over the food relief from the UN. Starving out the smaller weaker clans. And then that's when the US military started looking for the most powerful warlord. And try to take him by force. Inwhich failed!!

But later on. That powerful warlord was killed off by someone else. And someone else stepped in. And took his spot as the warlord. Plus these people are Muslims. Which complicates matter even more worse?

[2divers]

Alan,
I respect your opinion but have to differ with you here. The people who are pirating off the coast of Somolia are funded enough to buy fuel for attack boats that are capable of going 50-60 miles off shore or more. They are funded enough to have rifles, RPG's and other heavy weapons. They are organized enough to be able to scope out targets that are outside what would be a 'normal' fishing range, transmit that information back to shore where others could PLAN PIRACY.

I will not argue that they are in the middle of a drought, the majority of the country is poor and starving, that they may Muslim or any other of the other problems that they have.

What I do argue against and have a problem with is that the people commiting acts of Piracy are not starving, are reasonably well funded, are committing acts that are forbidden throughout the world (even in the Koran!) They are not the general starving population that you espouse and rightly have empathy and pity for.

I still hold to my original arguement. I know you disagree, but that is because you and I both live in the first world, and I'm grateful that we can disagree with out having other issues

2divers

[Alan Wheeler]

Firstly, don't get me wrong. I am not condoning any of their actions.
What I am trying to say, this situation is one that is much bigger than most all of us can fathom.

Yes most of the internal issue's lye with the "government" if you can call it that. Warlords is another. Simple greed to the point. And yes, when one leader is taken out, another will rise. Look around people, same mentality as the gangs in certain neighbourhoods in our own backyards, but that is a nother story.
The result in any place is, the kids suffer. The kids learn to cope and survive. The Kids grow up. The Kids become the leaders of the gangs. Vicouse cycle.

These "pirate" boats that are traveling out. Where do they get fuel and money. Well there is two things about this. One is, it is now known that many of these boats are doing a run compleatly across the straight. They are taking refugees across to the otherside. It is also known that much of the "pirating" is taking place during the return trip. So it is considered that the best teransit times of this area is during certain times of the day.
Fuel and what not will come from those making passage.
No point in going further here, I am not trying to justify any of it. I am just trying to explain that it is a deeper issue than just an organised bunch of thugs.

It's something I don't think any of us in a "civilised" world can ever get our heads around. I guess I take a little different view, because I work with "gang" kids everyday, trying to change their lives and make a difference. I have not been to Somalia (have a freind that has) but have been to other places of imense poverty. I guess I have a little bit of a different view. But myself included here, unless you actually go and see these places and live with them a little, you can never get your head totaly around the issues and the poverty and so on. Something pretty imense changes in your life the day you stand and watch little kids rumage through a garbage dump to get food and something to beg with each day.
But They don't even have a garbage dump in Somalia.

Remember folks, not trying to justify their actions, just trying to say, we need to look at this from a little different perspective. They aren't just "Thugs that all need lining up against a wall and shot" if you understand what I mean.

[CaptainK]

Hey Alan.

We're mates here. But what I'm about to say. Might offend you? So make sure you're sitting down while reading this?

Preach that sociology crap on the pirates?

I'm sure they'll stand still long enough, and listen to you preach your stuff. While they're raping your wife. And killing the rest of your crew. Before finally killing you? And then strip your vessel of it's possessions. And steal the fuel out of the fuel tanks!!

What will it take to get it through "your" head. That these people don't stand and listen to reason. They just don't. They take and kill what they want to do. PERIOD!!!

Why???? Cause they can!!! That's why!!!!

And yes!! They have lived in poverty all their lives. That's all they know about. And live about it!! And so..."yes" it forces their hand to make those unlawful decisions to conduct that barbaric behavior of conducting piracy? And I agree with you on that "one" subject?

But what about defending yourself?

Is there any laws of the sea. Where the owner of a vessel can defend themselves? If there isn't one. I'm saying this only on my behalf. Not because of my "military" background. But, only because I don't take crap from thugs with guns!! PERIOD!!!

And I assure anyone on this forum, that I intend to defend myself. Lawfully or not. I will take actions into my own hands. Only if I will know that they intend to commit harm. To me & my crew?

And only just for that reason!!! And not just because I'm "gung-ho"!!!

[Alan Wheeler]

No it's rather hard to offend me with something like this. If ya said I was ugly and my mother dressed me funny, then thats another matter.
To be offended with you or 2divers or whom ever, is to refuse to listen to your views. And to me, not listening is offensive. We are all entitled to our views.

I do also want to ensure you all understand a couple of points. I did say them earlier, maybe not clearly enough. I am NOT Condoning their actions. If someone came at me with a gun, I would protect myself and my wife and my possestions just as strongly as anyone.

I am just trying to point out, that there is more to the Somalia situation than JUST a bunch of theiving thugs.
See to be fair K, you made a comment about them being Muslim not helping the situation. Sorry mate, not offending you here, but that is biased, raciest and judgemental view. Sorry K, I don't mean that offensively, please please please don't take it that way. Once again, it is just a way you view the world. You view it in a certain way, because that has been how you were brought up.
OK, so maybe I am being a little on the idealist side. I guess the type of person I am, is one that wants to be a peace maker.
But there is a disadvantage to having that idealism. It means I have to listen to others, even when I don't agree with what is said, understand others reasons even though I don't understand the methods, and sympathize with others, even though I don't agree with the actions.

I look at us as cruisers as the difference in this world. Don't we as cruisers do this for a reason of meeting others??? and seeing the world????
That also means we as cruisers have to see that the rest of the world is different to ours and we are guests in other lands.
Yes protect ourselves, by all means.

[CaptainK]

Alan Wheeler once whispered in the wind

See to be fair K, you made a comment about them being Muslim not helping the situation. Sorry mate, not offending you here, but that is biased, raciest and judgemental view.

Actually Alan. I wasn't trying to say that in a racist way!! But that the fact, they are Muslims. And that the Muslims point of view of America, or the Western world. Is not in a good light? A good lot of them want to see us all killed. Cause we don't worship Allah!! Their God!! And on top of that how the western world once dominated that part of Africa. And had them under some form of oppression. It all seems to add up, even to this very day?

Now you see where I am coming from with that, Alan?

And no, I'm not offended by what you just said. I understand completely, mate!!