Pirates! Activity Around the world

[American Patriot]

Somali pirates, security personnel in 4 shootouts

By KATHARINE HOURELD (AP) – 3 days ago

NAIROBI, Kenya — Signaling a new offensive mindset, international military officials vowed Friday to fight the pirates as swarms of Somalis moved into the waters off East Africa. Four shootouts with pirates showed that high-seas attacks are intensifying with the end of the monsoon season.

Nearly half the 47 ships hijacked off Somalia last year were taken in March and April — the most dangerous months of the year for ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

In the most serious skirmish Friday, six pirates attacked a vessel before breaking off and chasing the French fishing boat Torre Giulia, said Cmdr. John Harbour, spokesman for the EU Naval Force.

A French military detachment onboard a nearby ship fired warning shots at the pirates. The ship then approached the skiff and collided with it, sinking the skiff and throwing the pirates into the water. Four were rescued, but two others were missing, Harbour said.

The French Defense Ministry said its frigate, the Nivose, intercepted 22 suspected pirates Friday in two separate operations. It said the 22 are currently aboard the vessel along with their skiffs.

Each case, in different sectors, involved a mothership and two "assault skiffs," a ministry statement said.

Harbour said a spike in attacks is likely in the coming weeks. This season, though, ship owners and sailors are more prepared to evade pirates, fight back, or they have armed security onboard, raising the likelihood of violence.

"We know the monsoon is over. We know they're coming. We're taking the fight to the pirates," said Harbour.

Crews are successfully repelling more attacks, making it harder for pirates to capture ships and earn multimillion dollar ransoms.

In turn, the Somali gangs are increasingly turning violent. The International Maritime Bureau says only seven ships were fired on worldwide in 2004 but that 114 ships were fired on last year off the Somali coast alone. That's up from 39 incidents off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden in 2008.

In a second incident Friday, the EU Naval Force intercepted a pirate group of one mothership and two skiffs that had attacked a separate French vessel. That attack was also repelled by military personnel onboard.

An EU Naval Force helicopter tracked the pirates and watched them throw a rocket launcher, grappling hooks and fuel barrels into the ocean. The naval force said it destroyed the mothership and one skiff and took 11 pirates into custody.

In the third and fourth attacks, pirates assaulted two Spanish tuna fishing boats off the coast of Kenya, Spain's Ministry of Defense said. A spokesman said the boats had contacted Spanish navy forces in the area, who dispatched a plane. Between the air support and the private guards on the boats, they repelled the attack. The spokesman spoke on condition of anonymity because government rules don't allow him to be identified.

Friday's clashes followed a firefight Thursday between pirates and private security contractors onboard a Spanish fishing vessel. The pirates hit the ship with a rocket-propelled grenade and the guards returned fire. No one was hurt, but the International Maritime Bureau has expressed fears that the increased use of armed contractors could spark an arms race between fishermen and pirates, who are firing at ships with increasing frequency.

"The EU Navfor agrees with that recommendation because we don't want an escalation of firepower," Harbour said. "Also, there are lots of gas and oil tankers in the Gulf of Aden that wouldn't benefit from grenades and bullets flying around."

Pirate attacks off East Africa have dramatically increased over the past three years. Somali pirates attacked ships 217 times in 2009, according to the International Maritime Bureau. That was up from 111 attacks in 2008.

Many ship owners are investing in physical defenses like stringing razor wire and adding fire hoses that can hit attackers with streams of high-pressure water. Some ships are even having electric fence-style systems installed.

Crews have thrown everything from oil drums to wooden planks at would-be hijackers clambering up ladders. Last month a crew played the sound of dogs barking over an amplifier to frighten off attackers.

Last year, the average ransom was around $2 million, according to piracy expert Roger Middleton of the British think tank Chatham House. This year, two ransoms paid were around $3 million and $7 million, he said.

The original Somali pirates were fishermen aggrieved over the huge foreign trawlers depleting their seas — a complaint the international community has yet to address despite pouring hundreds of millions of dollars into anti-piracy patrols. Huge ransoms lured criminal gangs into piracy, though, and ransom inflation has made it more expensive to buy the freedom of the more than 130 hostages still being held.

Among those hostages are a retired British couple snatched last year from their sailboat, who a Somali official said Friday could be freed within weeks. Paul and Rachel Chandler were seized from their 38-foot yacht last October.

Mohamed Omar Dalha, the deputy speaker of Somalia's parliament, told The Associated Press that Somali communities inside and outside the chaos-wracked country are working to negotiate the "unconditional release" of the Chandlers. Dalha was hopeful they would be released within two weeks without payment.

Somalia has not had a stable government since warlords overthrew longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991.

Associated Press reporters Malkhadir M. Muhumed and Jason Straziuso in Nairobi and Jorge Sainz in Madrid contributed to this report.

[American Patriot]

World Briefing | Africa
Somalia: Military Officials Promise Pirates a Fight
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: March 5, 2010


International military officials vowed Friday to fight pirates this year as swarms of them moved into the waters off East Africa with the end of monsoon season. Nearly half the 47 ships hijacked off Somalia last year were taken in March and April. Cmdr. John Harbour, spokesman for the European Union Naval Force, said that a spike in attacks was expected in the coming weeks but that ship owners and sailors were better prepared to evade pirates or fight back. “We know they’re coming,” he said. “We’re taking the fight to the pirates.” There were four shootouts with pirates on Friday.

[American Patriot]

Military vow over Somali pirates

(UKPA) – 3 days ago

International military chiefs have signalled a new, more aggressive strategy against piracy, as swarms of Somalis moved into the waters off East Africa.

Commander John Harbour, spokesman for the EU Naval Force, said the military was "taking the fight to the pirates" after four shootouts showed that high-seas attacks are intensifying with the end of the monsoon season.

Nearly half the 47 ships hijacked off Somalia last year were taken in March and April - the most dangerous months of the year for ships in the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean.

In the most serious skirmish, six pirates attacked a vessel before breaking off and chasing the French fishing boat Torre Giulia, said Cmdr Harbour.

A French military detachment on board a nearby ship fired warning shots at the pirates. The ship then approached the skiff and collided with it, sinking the skiff and throwing the pirates into the water. Four were rescued, but two others were missing, Cmdr Harbour said.

A surge in attacks was likely in the coming weeks, he said. This season, though, ship owners and sailors are more prepared to evade pirates, fight back, or they have armed security on board, raising the likelihood of violence.

"We know the monsoon is over. We know they're coming. We're taking the fight to the pirates," said Cmdr Harbour.

Crews are successfully repelling more attacks, making it harder for pirates to capture ships and earn multi-million ransoms.

In turn, the Somali gangs are increasingly turning violent. The International Maritime Bureau says only seven ships were fired on worldwide in 2004 but 114 ships were fired on last year off the Somali coast alone. That compares with 39 incidents off Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden in 2008.

In a second incident, the EU Naval Force intercepted a pirate group of one mother ship and two skiffs that had attacked a separate French vessel. That attack was also repelled by military personnel on board.

[American Patriot]

Pirates say they won’t harm crew

By MOHAMMED RASOOLDEEN | ARAB NEWS

Published: Mar 6, 2010 00:47 Updated: Mar 6, 2010 00:47

RIYADH: Somali pirates who hijacked the Saudi ship Al-Nisr Al-Saudi on Monday have said they will not harm the vessel’s crew, a Sri Lankan diplomat told Arab News on Friday.

“Al-Nisr Al-Saudi was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden on Monday with a 14-member crew aboard, which include 13 Sri Lankans and the ships’ Greek captain, Georgios Skalimis. The tanker, owned by International Bunkering Co. (IBCO), was on its way from Japan to Jeddah when it was hijacked. The hijackers have demanded a $20 million ransom. The ship is presently anchored on the coast of Somalia.

“We have held discussions with senior IBCO officials about the hijacked Saudi Arabian vessel and urged them to expedite the release of the 13 Sri Lankan crew members,” said Sri Lankan Consul General Sabarullah Khan.

IBCO is working with its insurer, the Saudi IACI Cooperative Insurance Company, to facilitate negotiations with the pirates. Khan added that the shipping company had established contact with the pirates through satellite communication and that they had given reassurances that they would not harm the Sri Lankan crew. London-based Protection and Indemnity Club (P&I) is coordinating action between the pirates and the insurance company, Khan said.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner in Kenya Jayantha Dissanayake said the vessel was now in the region of Gurey off the coast of Somalia. As a result of the incident, he has urged Sri Lankan nationals to refrain from seeking employment on ships that sail across Somali waters.

The island’s Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama said he will continue to monitor the situation and take all necessary measures to expedite the release of the Sri Lankans through Sri Lankan missions in Saudi Arabia. The minister said his government has instructed him to do everything possible to save the crew.

“We are deeply concerned about our workers and we are ready to cooperate with all parties to settle the matter as quickly as possible.”

Last year, pirates seized the Saudi supertanker Sirius Star carrying $100 million in oil cargo.

In another incident, a Turkish vessel was about to be captured by pirates late last year. Thanks to the efforts of a Saudi patrolling team, the pirates were driven away and the vessel secured. Several such incidents of piracy have been reported from the Gulf of Aden, which has become an unsafe area to sail.

Encouraged by rising ransom payments, Somali pirates have stepped up attacks in recent months, making tens of millions of dollars by seizing vessels in the Indian Ocean and the busy Gulf of Aden shipping lanes.

Somali pirates are currently holding six hijacked ships and 132 sailors, including those aboard Al-Nisr Al-Saudi, according to the EU Naval Force. That figure may increase in coming months.

[American Patriot]

Somali pirates are currently holding six hijacked ships and 132 sailors, including those aboard Al-Nisr Al-Saudi, according to the EU Naval Force. That figure may increase in coming months.

[American Patriot]

THIS IS A CNN ARTICLE. NOTE THE PICTURE....





Pirates seize Norwegian tanker off Malagasy coast

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/af...ship.hijacked/


March 9, 2010 -- Updated 1541 GMT (2341 HKT)


A Somali pirate sits on shore January 7 in northeastern Somalia. Captured Greek vessel the MV Filitsa is in the background.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Pirates hijack Norwegian tanker UBT Ocean off the coast of Madagascar
• They are steering the ship toward Somalia, the ship's owner says
• Captain of tanker reported that pirates had come aboard on Friday
• Ship was carrying fuel destined for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and has 21 crew members

(CNN) -- Pirates have hijacked a Norwegian tanker off the coast of Madagascar and are steering the ship toward Somalia, the ship's owner said.
The captain of the UBT Ocean called the technical director for Broevigtank, the company that owns the ship, and reported that pirates had come aboard Friday, said Svenn Pederson, CEO of Broevigtank.
Contact with the captain has since been lost. But the company has been tracking the vessel.
Pederson said the ship was carrying fuel destined for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, and has 21 crew members aboard.

[Toad]

The east African coast has officially reverted back to 1400AD. Sail at your own risk, shoot first, question later, but just get the hell out.

[American Patriot]

I won't be sailing there, probably ever.

We're not ready to do a circumnavigation and if we do, it won't be near Somalia....

There's been some attacks around Venezuela and I've heard reports about Argentina as well.

[American Patriot]

Gulf of Aden pirates are having less success

As shipping companies employ defensive tactics, the percentage of successful attacks falls slightly despite a 62% increase in the number of attempts in the Gulf of Aden in 2009.

March 10, 2010|By Tony Perry

Reporting from Manama, Bahrain — Although pirates last year made many more attempts to board ships in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia, the number of successful seizures was about the same as in 2008, according to the U.S.-organized multinational maritime force here.

The figures suggest that new "defensive driving" tactics adopted by many commercial shipping companies are helping ward off attackers, naval officials said.
Advertisement

There were 198 attempts at piracy in the vast region last year, a 62% increase from 2008, but only 44 attempts were successful. In 2008, there were 122 attempts and 42 successful acts of piracy.

Last year, an industry group developed a list of "best practices" for ships in pirate-infested waters: placement of physical barriers and razor wire to repel boarders, removal of overboard ladders, use of fire hoses and a planned zigzag method of navigation when pirates approach.

"Believe it or not, there are still merchant ships out there that are not following the 'best practices,' including not having a lookout," said British Royal Navy Commodore Tim Lowe, deputy commander of the Combined Maritime Forces.

The forces include ships from two dozen countries. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union have also organized task forces. China, Iran, Malaysia and India have independently sent ships to thwart pirates.

When the piracy problem escalated in the last decade, some shipping companies appeared to be reluctant to change their procedures, possibly because less than 1% of ships are seized.

Also, some companies were concerned that the pirates, who are usually armed with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades, might become more violent if merchant ships carried armed guards. The "best practices" document recommends only that ships consider guards.

Working groups from the United Nations are also attempting to trace the money paid in ransom and to persuade more countries to put pirates on trial.

The 22% success rate for pirates last year compares with 34% in 2008 and 63% in 2007, before the three anti-piracy task forces were formed. Yet for pirates who can seize a ship, returns are enormous: In 2009, $48.4 million was paid in ransom.

Most of the pirates come from Somalia, which has a 1,880-mile coastline and virtually no government.

"The solution for piracy is to establish a judicial system and law and order" in Somalia, Lowe said. "Until then, the navies are just trying to keep a cap on it."

tony.perry@latimes.com

[Toad]

About time theres some return fire with effect.


http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE62N34H20100324

Somali pirate killed in cargo ship hijack shooting

MOGADISHU
Wed Mar 24, 2010 9:53am EDT

(Reuters) - A suspected Somali pirate was killed during shooting between pirates and armed guards on board a Panamanian-flagged ship, a maritime official and EU anti-piracy taskforce said on Wednesday.World
The private guards protecting the MV Almezaan returned fire as they beat back two attacks by the same gang off the coast of lawless Somalia on Tuesday.

A Spanish warship patrolling the waters deployed a helicopter that fired warning shots to stop the pirates as they fled the area. Spanish troops seized six individuals, recovered one body and destroyed three pirate vessels.

"The body has been transferred to NAVARRA," EU NAVFOR said in a statement on its website, referring to the Spanish frigate.

"An investigation indicated that the individual had died from small caliber gunshot wounds," it added.

The MV Almezaan was en route to the Somali capital Mogadishu, the statement said. Kenyan maritime official Andrew Mwangura confirmed the incident by telephone from the port city of Mombasa.

Marauding sea gangs have attacked ships in the busy lanes in the Gulf of Aden that link Europe and Asia for several years, earning ransoms worth millions of dollars from vessels captured.

A fleet of foreign navies are patrolling the waters, operating convoys and offering safe transit corridors.

But they have found themselves increasingly stretched as the pirates roam further out into the Indian Ocean.

Some shippers have already started to avoid the Gulf of Aden, opting to go around the Cape of Good Hope, raising transport costs, while others have chosen to carry private guards.

Pirates on Tuesday seized a Turkish ship with its crew of 21 and a Bermuda-flagged reefer with a crew of 25.

(Reporting by Ibrahim Mohamed and Duncan Miriri; Writing by Richard Lough; Editing by Alison Williams)

[Malsua]

"An investigation indicated that the individual had died from small caliber gunshot wounds,"

Too bad it wasn't from .50BMG 2000 meters out. Hell, no need to aim with a belt fed deck mounted quad .50.

[American Patriot]

US Navy captures suspected pirates after gunbattle

The suspects are now on board the USS Nicholas

A US warship has seized five suspected pirates after an exchange of fire in the Indian Ocean west of the Seychelles, the US Navy says.

Its statement says the USS Nicholas sank a skiff and captured a suspected mother ship in international waters.


The incident happened at 1227 local time when suspected pirates opened fire on the warship.


The warship returned fire before commencing pursuit to disable the skiff, the statement said.


Three suspected pirates were captured after personnel from the USS Nicholas boarded the skiff.


Ammunition and cans of fuel were also found on the vessel, which was later sunk.


Two more suspected pirates were also seized on the suspected mother ship.


"The suspected pirates will remain in US custody on board Nicholas until a determination is made regarding their disposition," the statement said.

[American Patriot]

Suspected pirates nabbed after skirmish with U.S. Navy ship

By the CNN Wire Staff
April 1, 2010 -- Updated 1427 GMT (2227 HKT)


The Nicholas, which sunk a suspected pirate skiff Thursday after taking fire, is part of the U.S. military's Africa Command.


STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• USS Nicholas reports taking fire from suspected pirate skiff west of the Seychelles
• Nicholas boarding team detained 3 people on skiff, 2 on "mother ship," Navy statement says
• Detainees will "remain in U.S. custody on board Nicholas," statement says

RELATED TOPICS

• Pirates
• U.S. Navy Activities
• Seychelles

(CNN) -- A group of suspected pirates was captured Thursday after attacking a U.S. Navy frigate in the Indian Ocean, according to a statement released by the U.S. Sixth Fleet.


The USS Nicholas reported taking fire from a suspected pirate skiff shortly after midnight local time west of the Seychelles, the statement said. The Nicholas quickly returned fire and began pursuing the skiff, which was eventually disabled. A boarding team from the Nicholas subsequently captured and detained three people, the statement said.


The team discovered ammunition and several cans of fuel aboard the skiff, which was later sunk by the Nicholas.


Two more suspected pirates were captured on a confiscated "mother ship," the statement said. The detainees will "remain in U.S. custody on board Nicholas until a determination is made regarding their disposition," it said.


The Nicholas, based in Norfolk, Virginia, is part of the U.S. military's Africa Command.
The waters off the coast of Somalia -- the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean -- have been plagued by Somali pirates over the last couple of years. To crack down on piracy, the international community has adopted measures including naval escorts and expanded monitoring.


Last week, one pirate was killed and several others were detained after a private security team thwarted an attack against a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship, the MV Almezaan. A European Union naval force was called in to assist the vessel.

[American Patriot]

With rusty ammo, Nigeria confronts pirates

By JON GAMBRELL (AP) – 2 days ago

GULF OF GUINEA, Nigeria — The gleaming Nigerian naval patrol boat heaved across the rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean in search of pirates. Beyond the crisp white hull, however, crew members in cheap sandals manned machine guns whose ammunition had rusted in the chambers. And a computer-guided gun on the bow had no ammo at all.

This is the first line of defense against growing piracy off West Africa.

The patrol boat Burutu, which recently participated in a training exercise with the U.S. military, is part of a force that patrols Nigeria's 530 miles (853 kilometers) of coastline. But the navy appears overmatched as attacks on shipping continue and grow more violent, and militants resume strikes on oil platforms and pipelines.

The coastline of Africa's most populous country is a target-rich environment. Barges and other vessels belonging to energy companies crowd the waters off the Niger Delta, one of America's top sources of crude oil. At night off the megacity of Lagos, lights from scores of cargo ships twinkle like an archipelago as crews wait for weeks to unload at the city's busy, mismanaged port.

About 10 pirates on Thursday night boarded a Turkish-flagged freighter waiting to unload its cargo. They stole money, mobile telephones and computer gear, Turkish maritime authorities said. The crew apparently fought back and sent an alarm before the pirates clubbed them with Kalashnikov rifles and stabbed the captain. Two Turkish sailors and a Nigerian worker were injured.

"The Western African coast, especially around Nigeria, is a high risk area for piracy," said Cyrus Mody, a manager at the International Maritime Bureau, which tracks piracy worldwide. "It also one of the most violent places."

The bureau reported 28 attacks off Nigeria during 2009 and believes at least another 30 pirate attacks went unreported, either due to companies worried about having higher insurance premiums or concerns about advertising their security weaknesses, Mody said.

Attacks have occurred elsewhere along the Gulf of Guinea that Nigeria shares with more than a half-dozen other countries. On Saturday, armed pirates off Cameroon's coast near Nigeria kidnapped two sailors from a Ghanaian-flagged ship for ransom. In another attack in November near neighboring Benin by suspected Nigerian pirates, a Ukrainian sailor was shot dead. In other boardings, pirates stabbed and beat sailors, Mody said.

The former British protectorate's navy includes several large ocean-cruising craft and smaller patrol boats that can travel up the Niger River in the delta to look for those attacking oil pipelines and stealing crude oil. The U.S. imported more than 1 million barrels of Nigerian crude oil a day in December, making Nigeria America's third-biggest foreign source that month, so the U.S. has an interest in seeing the Nigerian navy improve.

The U.S. Navy has been training naval forces of West African nations to fight piracy, even though much of the world's attention remains focused on Somali pirates operating off East Africa.

Commodore David Nabaida, a spokesman for the Nigerian navy, said the navy will continue to patrol off of the Niger Delta and Lagos. He said it is difficult to protect the more than 200 ships anchored in Lagos and questioned whether freighters were actually being robbed.

"Maybe ships do deals and sell their products, then say they were attacked by pirates so they can divert attention from whatever crooked deals they have done," he said.

In a country permeated by corruption, it's perhaps not unusual that the commodore harbors such suspicions.

The corruption that permeates every level of government in Nigeria may hamper the anti-piracy efforts. A retired Navy rear admiral was recently indicted for allegedly embezzling government funds. Nigeria's elites often plunder the oil money that should be running and building up the country and some politicians even allegedly hire criminals and militants to help them rig elections.

The effectiveness of the Nigerian navy is also in question.

During the recent training exercise, the Burutu was motoring near the American frigate Samuel B. Roberts. The U.S. ship sounded a warning through its loudspeaker that the Nigerian vessel was on a collision course.

The warning continued even as the Nigerian patrol boat scraped along the side of the U.S. warship, creating an ear-piercing metallic squeal. One U.S. sailor cursed and threw a blue hard hat at the Nigerian sailors, who merely stared.

[American Patriot]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_..._class_frigate

Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Oliver Hazard Perry class is a class of frigates named after the American Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, the hero of the naval Battle of Lake Erie. Also known as the Perry or FFG-7 class, the warships were designed in the United States in the mid-1970s as general-purpose escort vessels inexpensive enough to be bought in large quantities to replace World War II-era destroyers. They operated in an anti-submarine role to protect amphibious landing forces, supply and replenishment groups, and merchant convoys.^[1] Fifty-five ships were built in the United States: 51 for the United States Navy and four for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). In addition, eight were built in the Republic of China (Taiwan), six in Spain, and two in Australia for their navies. Former U.S. Navy warships of this class have been sold or donated to the navies of Bahrain, Egypt, Poland, and Turkey.

[Ryan Ruck]

With rusty ammo, Nigeria confronts pirates

By JON GAMBRELL (AP) – 2 days ago

GULF OF GUINEA, Nigeria — The gleaming Nigerian naval patrol boat heaved across the rough waters of the Atlantic Ocean in search of pirates. Beyond the crisp white hull, however, crew members in cheap sandals manned machine guns whose ammunition had rusted in the chambers. And a computer-guided gun on the bow had no ammo at all.

Well, maybe if they quit sending all those millions of unclaimed dollars to the US they would have money to fix up their boats!

[American Patriot]

Well, maybe if they quit sending all those millions of unclaimed dollars to the US they would have money to fix up their boats!

I'd left that obvious unstated.... lol

[American Patriot]

Somalia pirates threaten to blow up oil supertanker

Duncan Miriri and Abdiaziz Hassan
NAIROBI
Wed Apr 21, 2010 11:54am EDT




Factbox

• Factbox: Ships held by Somali pirates11:14am EDT

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Somali pirates threatened on Wednesday to blow up a hijacked oil supertanker unless a $20 million ransom was paid and captured a Panama-flagged merchant ship.


World | Thailand


South Korea sent a destroyer to intercept the Samho Dream, laden with 2 million barrels of crude oil, and its crew of five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos, after it was seized this month.


"We are demanding $20 million to release the large South Korea ship," said Hashi, commander of the pirates holding the Singapore-owned vessel.
"The ship and the crew are safe. We know some warships are plotting to attack us, but we are telling them that the ship will be blown up if we are attacked," he said from the pirate lair of Hobyo.


The sea gangs have made off with millions of dollars in ransoms by roaming the Gulf of Aden and Indian Ocean and seizing vessels and their crews.
Maritime experts say the pirates have stepped up attacks, largely due to good weather that favors their operations.


Andrew Mwangura of the Kenya-based East Africa Seafarers' Assistance Programme said the Panama-flagged MV Voc Daisy was seized in the early hours, 190 miles southeast of the Omani port of Salalah. It has 21 Filipino crew members.


He said the bulk carrier had been sailing from the United Arab Emirates to an unspecified port on the Suez Canal. It was not immediately clear what it was carrying.


The European Union naval patrol force in the region confirmed the seizure of the 47,183 dwt ship on its website.


Three Thai fishing vessels were seized over the weekend and several unsuccessful attacks have been carried out since then.


The sea gangs have extended their reach southwards and toward India to avoid a flotilla of foreign navies patrolling the waters off Somalia.


One such Somali group lost its way when returning to the pirate lair of Hobyo from the Seychelles but instead found themselves in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa.


Abdulkhadir Jim'ale, who returned to his home town Galkayo at the weekend, told Reuters the gang was returning from Seychelles after a failed trip to hunt commercial ships in the Indian Ocean, because they had run out of supplies.


"We had been in the high seas for a few days when we run out of food and drinking water. We decided to head back to Hobyo but at midnight, we found ourselves in a shiny city with lights," Jim'ale said.


"It was Mombasa. We threw our guns into the sea, left the boat at the beach and sneaked into the city in the dark."


Four of his colleagues made their way back to Somalia but three are still missing.


Jim'ale was one of 23 suspected Somalis pirates released by Seychelles in September.


(Additional reporting by Abdi Guled in Mogadishu; Editing by Helen Nyambura and Alison Williams)

[American Patriot]

(Reuters) - Somali pirates have captured a Panama-flagged merchant ship with its crew of 21 Filipinos, a regional maritime group said and a European naval patrol force in the region said on Wednesday.


World | Thailand


Here is a list of ships under the control of Somali pirates:


* SOCOTRA 1: Seized on December 25, 2009: The Yemeni-owned ship was captured in the Gulf of Aden after it left the port of Alshahr in the eastern Yemeni province of Hadramaut. There were six Yemeni crew on board.


* ST JAMES PARK: Seized on December 28, 2009. The British-flagged 13,924 dwt chemical tanker was bound for Thailand from Spain with a chemical cargo when it sent a distress signal from the Gulf of Aden. Its 26 crew members were from Bulgaria, Georgia, India, the Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Turkey and Ukraine.


* ASIAN GLORY: Seized on January 1, 2010. The British-flagged vehicle carrier was hijacked about 900 miles north of the Seychelles. The 25 crew consisted of eight Bulgarians including the captain, 10 Ukrainians, five Indians and two Romanians.


* RIM: Seized on February 2, 2010. The 4,800-dwt Libyan-owned cargo ship was seized in the strategic channel south of Yemen. It said it was flying a North Korean flag, but was owned by White Sea Shipping of Tripoli. It carried a crew of at least 10, all Syrian.


* AL NISR AL SAUDI: Seized on March 1, 2010. The Saudi-owned 5,136 dwt tanker was on its way from Japan to Jeddah with one Greek and 13 Sri Lankan crew members.


* UBT OCEAN: Seized on March 5, 2010. Pirates hijacked the Marshall Islands-registered tanker off Madagascar. It was carrying fuel oil from the United Arab Emirates to Tanzania and had a crew of 21. The 9,000-dwt tanker is owned by Norwegian company Brovigtank.


* SAKOBA: Seized March 2010. The Spanish-owned fishing vessel carried Kenyans, one Spaniard, one Pole, one Cape Verdean, a Namibian and two Senegalese. Andrew Mwangura of the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme said it could be used as a "mother ship" to launch more attacks.


* FRIGIA: Seized on March 23. The 35,244-dwt ship was Maltese-flagged and was hijacked off the Indian coast with a crew of 21 -- 19 Turks and two Ukrainians.


* MV TALCA: Seized on March 23. The Bermudan-flagged reefer was on its way to Iran from Egypt with a crew of 23 Sri Lankans, one Filipino and one Syrian when it was seized in the Gulf of Aden.


* GALATE: Seized on March 28. Somali pirates also seized a Seychelles fishing boat and its six crew 60 miles off the island of Mahe. There were six crew on board, all Seychellois.


* MV ICEBERG 1: Seized on March 29. Pirates boarded the roll-on roll-off vessel 10 miles outside Aden Port in the Gulf of Aden. The ship carried 24 crew.


* AL-BARARI: Seized on March 31. The small Indian trade boat was captured after it left Mogadishu port, having unloaded food and medicine there. It carried a crew of 11.
-- In late March Somali pirates captured seven other small Indian boats known as dhows, together with around 100 crew. Three were freed in early April. Maritime advocacy group Ecoterra said the pirates were holding six more cargo dhows.


* SAMHO DREAM: Seized on April 4. The 319,000 dwt Samho Dream was en route to the United States from Iraq when it was hijacked about 1,560 km (970 miles) east of the Somali coast. The Marshall Islands-registered ship is South Korean-owned, had a crew of five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos and carried as much as $170 million worth of crude oil.


* RAK AFRIKANA: Seized on April 11. The St Vincent and the Grenadines-flagged 7,561 dwt cargo ship MV Raf Afrikana was hijacked about 280 nautical miles west of the Seychelles. The ship is owned by Seychelles' Rak Afrikana Shipping Ltd.


* Three Thai fishing vessels -- PRANTALAY 11, 12 and 14 -- hijacked over weekend of April 17-18 with a total of 77 crew.


* MV VOC DAISY: Panama-flagged bulk ship with its crew of 21 Filipinos taken on April 21, some 190 miles southeast of the Omani port of Salalah.


* PIRACY FACTS:


-- Pirate attacks around the world fell by 34 percent in the first quarter of 2010 from a year ago due to the continued presence of foreign navies in the Gulf of Aden.


-- The London headquartered International Maritime Bureau says its piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur logged a total of 67 incidents from January to March this year. There were 102 incidents in the first three months of last year.


-- Globally in 2009, there were 406 reported incidents, in which 153 vessels were boarded and 49 were hijacked. There were 84 attempted attacks and 120 vessels were fired on. A total of 1,052 crew members were taken hostage. At least 68 crew members were injured and eight were killed.


-- In all, Somali pirates were held responsible for 217 acts of piracy in 2009, in which 47 vessels were hijacked and 867 crew members taken hostage.


-- In 2008, 111 vessels were targeted by Somali pirates, resulting in 42 hijackings. Although the number of incidents has almost doubled in 2009, the number of successful hijackings is proportionately fewer.


-- Nearly 20,000 ships pass through the Gulf of Aden each year, heading to and from the Suez Canal.


Sources: Reuters/Ecoterra International/International Maritime Bureau Piracy Reporting Center/Lloyds List/Inquirer.net


(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit; Additional writing by Carl Bagh)

[vector7]

What took the Obama Administration five days the Russians did it in one.

Hijacked Russian tanker freed, crew safe, pirate dead

06 May 2010 07:43:03 GMT

Source: Reuters

* Russian warship frees all 23 crew on hijacked tanker

* 10 Somali pirates captured, one dead - RIA

* Pirates to be most likely handed over to countries nearby

(Recasts, adds quotes, background, details)

By Ludmila Danilova

MOSCOW, May 6 (Reuters) - Russian forces freed a hijacked Russian oil tanker in a helicopter-backed operation on Thursday, rescuing its crew and, according to one report, killing a Somali pirate.

Pirates on Wednesday hijacked the MV Moscow University in the Gulf of Aden with its 23-member crew and a cargo of crude oil worth $52 million.

The European Union's naval force said the Russian warship Marshal Shaposhnikov had sent in a helicopter that returned fire after being shot at by pirates.

"Eventually the pirates surrendered and a boarding team from the Marshal Shaposhnikov arrived on board the tanker, captured all the pirates and freed the crew. All the crew are safe and well," and EU naval statement said.

However the state-run RIA news agency, citing an unnamed Russian navy official, said the Russians had killed one pirate and captured 10.

A spokesman for Russia's Foreign Ministry, Igor Lyakin-Frolov, confirmed that some pirates had been captured, but said it was unclear if there were casualties among them.

"The captured pirates will most likely be handed over to the authorities of countries in the region," he told Reuters.

The tanker would most likely continue on its planned voyage to China, he said.

Somali pirates are still able to seize ships despite the presence of an international fleet of warships in the busy shipping lanes linking Europe with Asia. Shipowners and insurers have paid out tens of millions of dollars in ransoms.

The successful rescue operation will please the Kremlin, which has been seeking to revive Russia's naval muscle despite limited resources.

Russia has been sending warships to patrol and protect Russian crews and cargoes off the Horn of Africa since the hijacking of the Ukrainian-owned cargo ship MV Faina in 2008 and the death of its Russian captain. The Faina was carrying a cargo of 33 tanks.

Two Russian fishing vessels were hijacked in the early 2000s off Somalia, though Wednesday's attack was the first on a large Russian-owned merchant vessel, said Andrew Mwangura, who runs the East African Seafarers' Assistance Programme.

A spokeswoman for the tanker's owner, Novorossiysk Shipping Company, said the crew survived the 20-hour siege by hiding in a safe room that was inaccessible to the hijackers.

Some oil tankers are sailing around southern Africa and further east into the Indian Ocean away from Somalia's coastline to avoid the Gulf of Aden and pirates who are striking deeper out at sea, shipping experts say.