Somalia: Pirates Stage Daring New Attacks

All Africa ^ | 18 April 2009

[nickcarraway]

Somali pirates hijacked a Belgian-owned ship off Somalia on Saturday but a Dutch naval frigate foiled an attack on a Greek-owned chemical tanker in the Gulf of Aden.

The European Union's Maritime Security Centre reported that the 1,850-ton dredger, the Pompei, and its crew of 11 were en route to Durban, South Africa, when the ship was seized. "The vessel is now heading north-west towards Somalia at slow speed," the centre said.

The Pompei was sailing in a zone recommended by the European Union (EU) naval taskforce, more than 600 nautical miles east of the Somali coast. Pirates are now operating far further out to sea than previously.

Relevant Links East Africa Economy, Business and Finance Conflict, Peace and Security Europe and Africa Somalia Transport and Shipping The EU's security centre also reported that a new chemical tanker, the Handytankers Magic, was sailing through the Gulf of Aden to Suez when it was attacked by a pirate skiff.

"One rocket-propelled grenade was fired and landed on deck, but fortunately did not explode," the centre said. "The Dutch frigate, De Zeven Provincien... was in the vicinity and foiled the attack by stopping and boarding the attacking skiff."

The Dutch seized seven suspected pirates aboard the skiff, which was a Yemeni fishing vessel which had evidently itself been hijacked.

[jws3sticks]

Why don't we just take out the "Mother" ships? They are up to no good, not fishing nor doing anything other than supporting the folks in the smaller speed boats, some 600 miles off the coast.

No one would miss them, just do it, PLEASE!

[DaveArk]

When I was a F15 instructor, I would chastise my students for aiming their gun shots at the plane. “you see that helmet, that is your aim point. the plane is nothing, that pilot will just get another one. The pilot is the danger to you, not the plane.” It was an attention getter.

[BuffaloJack]

Why bother with the mother ships? They’re just captured vessels belonging to someone else. Whe know where the pirates live. You can even look at satelite photos of their villages (both of them). There are over a thousand pirates, just take out the villages. It’s not like anyone would object except for the pirates.
This is one of those cases where “they needed killing” is a justifiable reason for wiping them out.