'Big Catch' S/V Quest Capture - Non-Politcal !

[MarkJ]

"But we have been told they are Americans.... This could be a big catch."

AFP have a new report that is interesting:

AFP: Pirates bringing hijacked US yacht to Somali lair

Abdi Yare, a top pirate commander in Hobyo, 500 kilometres (300 miles) northeast of the capital Mogadishu, said the boarding squad that captured the yacht left a week earlier from Harardhere, another pirate base further south.
"The pirate team that hijacked the yacht is led by a senior commander from the Harardhere area," he said.
"I think they will bring them (the hostages) here, near Hobyo, to negotiate the ransom," Yare added.

Now can we keep this thread on track?

Mark

[kenny chaos]

I read the military is hoping to cut them off before they hit land.

[Palarran]

I'm not sure what the track is but,
"This could be a big catch"
1) Lots of money due to being American
2) Americans pay ransom
3) Retaliation for the prison sentence.

I'm not sure why it's a big catch. The primary motive is money so I would guess they are planning on getting a lot of it. I just read that the US plan is to intercept before they make landfall. We'll know by tomorrow morning how that worked out.

[callmecrazy]

UPDATE – USS Momsen (DDG 92) on scene Sailboat Hijacking UPDATE – USS Momsen (DDG 92) on scene*|*gCaptain

[DeepFrz]

What in the world were those people thinking of sailing through that area? Or were they thinking at all?

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by kenny chaos

We had all these opinions in the other thread that got closed.
Let's keep this one open for the facts coming out.
Thanks-
Kenny

OIC, wasn't following the other thread... So, question... Is this the first US flagged vessel? or the First US flagged private yacht? or not the first at all?

[John A]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

What in the world were those people thinking of sailing through that area? Or were they thinking at all?

Instead of gross speculation, why don't we ask our own Mark J. He made this same passage.

[CDunc]

I agree with DeepFrz, why would you sail in known pirated waters.

[John A]

I receive sailnet reports from a person I met in Trinadad in 2003. He's somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean and is headed for Capetown.

I think some armchair experts shouid adjust to a cruising reality. You make personnal choices and accept the responsiblity for the outcome of those choices.

I've seen no post in either one of these threads where there was any concern for the safety of the crew. Why's that?

[cchesley]

Originally Posted by John A

I receive sailnet reports from a person I met in Trinadad in 2003. He's somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean and is headed for Capetown.

I think some armchair experts shouid adjust to a cruising reality. You make personnal choices and accept the responsiblity for the outcome of those choices.

I've seen no post in either one of these threads where there was any concern for the safety of the crew. Why's that?

Mostly because we fear it's a 'given' that their safety has been compromised at this point. (i.e. They're not having fun now) I can't imagine that there's anyone who is NOT concerned for the outcome.

[Doodles]

Originally Posted by John A

I receive sailnet reports from a person I met in Trinadad in 2003. He's somewhere in the middle of the Indian Ocean and is headed for Capetown.

I think some armchair experts shouid adjust to a cruising reality. You make personnal choices and accept the responsiblity for the outcome of those choices.

I've seen no post in either one of these threads where there was any concern for the safety of the crew. Why's that?

Why wouldn't you apply the above to the crew as well?

[joey69]

Originally Posted by cchesley

Mostly because we fear it's a 'given' that their safety has been compromised at this point. (i.e. They're not having fun now) I can't imagine that there's anyone who is NOT concerned for the outcome.

I do hope they come out of this okay. All the same though,I think they have avoided trouble so many times in the past that they got careless.It is a Criminal Act in some countries to hand out Bibles.I am a Christian but,GOD did give me common sense and my common sense tells me to stay away from those areas.The head pirate guy obviously knew they were heading his way,why else would he have left a week early to catch up with them.

[joey69]

Originally Posted by callmecrazy

UPDATE – USS Momsen (DDG 92) on scene Sailboat Hijacking UPDATE – USS Momsen (DDG 92) on scene*|*gCaptain

READ THIS:
gCaptain got some bad info… *|*gCaptain

[callmecrazy]

Originally Posted by joey69

READ THIS:
gCaptain got some bad info… *|*gCaptain

Nice, and they just delete the original article instead of correcting it... I wanted to re-read it since I recall it said something about a 'reliable source'. Preemptive strike...

Anyway, the only blame in this entire situation should be placed on the perpetrators of the crime. You don't blame a person for getting mugged because they went jogging in central park. The blame is upon the perpetrator, period. This is not a war-zone, and these people had every right to travel that route. Statistically they were probably safer than you or I driving to work in the morning. No doubt they were aware of the risk and made their decision accordingly, nobody can judge them for that.

[joey69]

This article gives the names of the 2 other people on board.

S V Quest