Posted on 07/20/2004 8:54:24 PM PDT by hedgetrimmer
Ship captains have written to maritime authorities expressing fears for their lives on voyages through the Malacca Strait after a spate of violent kidnappings in June, an ocean crime watchdog said on Tuesday.
The Indonesian, Singapore and Malaysian navies began coordinated patrols of the Strait of Malacca shipping lanes on Tuesday to combat piracy and terrorism in the vital and dangerous waterway through which more than a quarter of world trade passes.
"A few weeks ago the situation in the Malacca Strait was pretty bad, especially in the north," said Noel Choong, manager of the UK-based International Maritime Bureau's Asian office.
"A lot of ships are very concerned about their own safety."
Singapore is particularly anxious about lawlessness in and around the Malacca Strait, which it believes could be a prime target for a terrorist attack.
The IMB wrote three letters to Indonesian authorities seeking tougher patrols after pirates armed with automatic machine guns and grenades attacked commercial ships in a northern region of the Malacca Strait off Indonesia's Aceh province in June.
"A lot of ships were being shot at and once the ship stopped they would kidnap the captain and the chief engineer," Choong told Reuters by telephone from Kuala Lumpur.
"The captains have been writing us and asking us if they are kidnapped what is going to happen, stuff like that," he said.
In one 12-day period from June 4, the IMB received reports of eight serious incidents, mainly kidnappings of senior crew members, followed by ransom demands for their release, he said.
Indonesian authorities responded by sending patrols, reducing the frequency of attacks. "They have taken some form of action. The attacks have gone down and are now under control," said Choong.
"Things are better now than a few weeks ago, where a lot of ships were being shot at. But we are still monitoring the situation and we have to give it a few weeks," he said.
"We just hope they will maintain whatever they are doing," he said. "The moments the boats come back, within a matter of time it will start again."
The International Maritime Bureau recorded 445 pirate attacks last year, the second-highest since it began compiling data in 1992, and of those about one-third took place in Indonesian waters, including in the Malacca Strait.
More than 50,000 commercial vessels sail the 805-km (500-mile) channel between the Indonesian island of Sumatra and the Malaysian peninsula to Singapore each year.
The Straits are thought to be a training ground for terrorists, who kidnap the Captains and Chief engineers so they can learn how to drive large ships. REcently the US offered to help patrol the Straits but were turned down by the littoral nations who felt their sovereignty would be infringed.
FYI Straits happenings.
Yes, the pirate operations in the Straits are massive. Entire tankers have disappeared, along with many pleasure yachts after the crews and occupants were brutally murdered and tossed overboard. Glad to see they're doing something about it.
The show of force is impressive. However, it cannot be a one shot deal. They must be vigilant if they are going to improve security on the Strait.
Ships have been stolen outright, crews murdered. Even the largest tankers have been commandeered as part of a robbery of the crew.
It's just been good luck so far that there has not been a massive oil spill in the area, a fire, or some deliberate act of terrorism to destroy a tanker and block the strait.
The Indonesian Navy? Things would probably improve if they were kept *out* of the Strait, instead of "patrolling" it.
They look good.
"The Indonesian Navy? Things would probably improve if they were kept *out* of the Strait, instead of "patrolling" it."
Why, are they corrupt? A flotilla like that manned by US Navy personnel could go through pirates like **** through a goose.
Been through the straits twice. Of course a carrier group doesn't have to worry about pirates.
Thanks for the ping. I read a lot of cruising logs Circumnavigators post to the web. These folks avoid the Malacca straights and Indonesia in general like the plauge.
Police and navy...just happen to be elsewhere when incidents occur.
Have wondered..hypothetically..if they networked with AL Qeada or some other terror org...the possibility of seizing a container ship or tanker...bombing it up...useing the existing crew to get by security..then blowing it up at a terminal.
The Karine A and Santorini which the Israeli's interdicted....revealed Egyptian compliance with terror..as they are Suez Corridor controller.
Karine A was to have put in at Alexandria Egypt to top off on weapons..then dump off Gaza..and follow on to some port in Lebanon.
Israel got 2 weapon shipments..but how many went thru the system of security management in the past?
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