The
current pirate activities in the
Indian Ocean, Arabian sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, shows that a radical tactical change has taken place - in that,
the pirates are now consistently opening fire directly at ships prior to and during the attempt to board, hijack and take hostages.
The ONLY way the ships attacked have been able to avoid being captured is being able to
increase speed over ground to exceed 15 knots and steer an erratic course - and man firehoses etc.....
In the majority of instances coaltion forces were alerted but were unable to prevent the attacks or capture the pirates.
Here are a couple of the latest attacks where hostages were taken :-
02:01.2010: 0021 UTC: Posn: 10:48N – 061:54E: Gulf of Aden.
Pirates hijacked a vehicle carrier underway with its 25 crewmembers as hostage. They are now sailing the vessel to an undisclosed location in
Somalia.
01.01.2010: 0944 UTC: Posn: 12:31N – 047:17E: Gulf of Aden.
Pirates hijacked a chemical tanker underway with its 24 crewmembers as hostage. They are now sailing the vessel to an undisclosed location in
Somalia.
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Here are a few examples from November :-
16.11.2009: 1053 UTC: Posn: 08:0.11S - 045:58E, Around 600 nm SxE of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates armed with machine guns attacked, boarded and hijacked a chemical tanker underway. They took hostage 28 crew members. The pirates are in control of the tanker and are sailing her to an unknown
destination.
13.11.2009: 0446 UTC: Posn: 00:42S – 047:58E, Around 220 nm SE of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates in a white skiff armed with
guns chased and fired upon a general cargo ship underway. Vessel raised
alarm, contacted coalition forces, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres and managed to evade the attempted boarding.
13.11.2009: 0720 UTC: Posn: 11:26S – 043:42E, Around 810 nm south of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates in two small
boats armed with
guns chased a Ro-Ro ship underway with intent to hijack her. Ship raised
alarm, informed flag state authorities who informed the coalition forces, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres and managed to evade the attempted boarding.
10.11.2009: 0410 UTC: Posn: 06:33S – 048:14E, Around 540 nm SE of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates in two, skiffs armed with
RPG and machine guns chased and fired upon a container ship underway. Ship raised alarm, contacted coalition forces, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres. The
pirates continued firing with machine guns and made several attempts to board her. Crew activated fire hoses and master continued with the evasive manoeuvres and finally managed to deter the attempted attack.
12.11.2009: 0536 UTC: Posn: 14:33N – 054:08E, Gulf of Aden.
Pirates armed with
assault rifles in skiffs attacked a bulk carrier underway. They chased and fired upon the ship with intent to hijack her. The ship increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, deployed self protection measures and successfully deterred the boarding. The pirates aborted the attempt at 0832 UTC.
12.11.2009: 0330 UTC: Posn: 14:36.1N – 054:14.5E, Gulf of Aden.
Pirates armed with assault rifles in skiffs attacked a bulk carrier underway.
They fired upon the ship and attempted to board her. The ship increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, deployed self protection measures and successfully deterred the boarding.
"11.11.2009: 01:05 UTC: Posn: 00:35S – 062:40E: Around 1050 nm east of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates boarded the bulk carrier underway and hijacked it.
The pirates have taken hostage 22 crew members and are now sailing the vessel to an undisclosed location.
10.11.2009: 0200 UTC: Posn: 00:43.7S 061:57.8E, Around 1000nm east of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates armed with
RPG and assault rifles in two skiffs chased and fired upon a container ship underway with intent to hijack her. The skiffs approached the vessel from the starboard side at approximately 25 – 30 knots speed and were spotted by extra bridge lookout at distance of 3 nm. At that time the skiffs were not yet picked up on
radar. Vessel increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, deployed self protection measures and successfully deterred the attempted boarding after 30 min. Coalition forces informed.
09.11.2009: 0830 UTC: Posn: 01:09S 061:35E, Around 990 nm ExS of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Several pirates armed with
RPG and assault rifles in two skiffs chased and fired upon a tanker underway with intent to hijack her. Tanker increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, deployed self protection measures and successfully deterred the attempted boarding after one hour. Coalition forces informed.
Tanker sustained some damages.
07.11.2009: 0600 UTC: Posn: 12:37.5N - 47:11.6E, Gulf of Aden.
Six pirates armed with automatic weapons and RPG in a skiff fired upon a general cargo ship underway. Master raised alarm, contacted coalition warship, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres. The pirates attempted to board the ship using a ladder but were unable due to the ship’s freeboard and evasive action taken by the ship.
05.11.2009: 0648 UTC: Posn: 13:42.8N – 050:56.1E, Gulf of Aden.
A small speedboat was sighted at a distance of four nm by a general cargo ship underway. When the boat passed the port beam of the ship, it immediately changed course and approached the ship from astern. Duty officer raised alarm, contacted warship for assistance and crew mustered. Master increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres. As the boat came closer, four pirates with guns were sighted. The pirates attempted to board the ship several times.
Later the pirates aborted the attempted attack due to the evasive manoeuvres.
04.11.2009: 0426 UTC: Posn: 09:40.36S – 045:05.48E, 690 nm south of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates have attacked and hijacked a bulk carrier underway. Further information awaited.
02.11.2009: 0810 UTC: Posn: 03:34.3S – 045:40.1E, Around 330 nm south of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Two skiffs with
six armed pirates in each boat chased and fired upon a bulk carrier underway. Pirates were unable to hook their ladder onto the ship’s side. Master increased speed and carried out evasive manoeuvres. Fire hoses activated. After 20 minutes the pirates gave up. Ship sustained bullet holes but no casualties.
02.11.2009: 1213 UTC: Posn: 07:55S – 047:40E, Around 600 nm SSE of Mogadishu, Somalia.
One skiff with
five pirates chased and fired upon a chemical tanker underway while two more skiffs were stood by in the vicinity. Ship increased speed and enforced evasive manoeuvres and moved away. Ship sustained bullet holes.
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Sail boats averaging 6 knots are sitting ducks - GRP hulls or even 1/4 " steel hulls are not much use against a RPG (Rocket Propelled Grenade - Armour Piercing)
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In nearly every attack Coalition Forces have been unable to stop or even intercept these fast moving pirates .
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If a
skipper knowingly takes his
family or his crew into an area where there is the potential for them to be kidnapped and taken hostage -
is the skipper breaking just one of the laws of the sea ? What's the difference with 'a skipper disregarding a
forecast of a
hurricane who then sets an interception course with the storm?'
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BTW:- The British couple taken off their yacht last year whilst the Navy stood by and watched, remain captives in some dirty hovel in Somalia.
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