Pirates attack luxury liner off Somalia (attack repelled)

MarketWatch ^ | Nov. 5, 2005 | Jasmina Kelemen

[FairOpinion]

A luxury liner sailing off the coast of Somalia fended off an attack by gunmen in speedboats early Saturday morning in an area notorious for piracy.

None of the mostly American passengers aboard the Seabourn Spirit were harmed but one crew member was lightly injured as they repelled the attackers without returning fire.

The crew used an on-board loud acoustic bang to fight off the attackers, leading them to believer they were under heavy fire.

Since March 2005, there have been 23 attacks against oceangoing vessels, including one against a ship delivering food from the U.N.'s World Food Program.

[fallujah-nuker]

"Who exactly were these "pirates"?"

Considering the location I'd guess they were "youths."

[Rastus]

I am pretty sure passage on this ship was advertised on a local radio station. It sounds really familiar. The station's primary audience is retirees, and they usually end up with a bunch of listeners onboard. Thank God this attack was ineffective.

[FairOpinion]

From Oct. 28, 2005:


UPI Terrorism Watch

http://www.upi.com/SecurityTerrorism/view.php?StoryID=20051028-042123-7428r

"The Panama Canal Authority, concerned about the accuracy of shipping information and possible terrorist infiltration, has issued a note to transient shipping stressing the need for accurate information from vessels' Automatic Identification Systems. "

===

While this is about the Panama Canal, it's quite likely that other shipping information bases have been infiltrated by terrorists, who then pass on the info to their cohorts, which would explain how they knew in advance when the ship is coming and who is on board.

[jimbo123]

[dr_who_2]

Perhaps. A pity they weren't apprehended so that we'd know for sure. I guess if they were Al Qaeda, they figured that a Yemen-style bombing would have been unimpressive or rather old hat by now. They did a lousy job trying to take over the ship, that's for certain. It is interesting that Al Qaeda hasn't tried to set up another big, protracted hostage crisis. Of course, they probably can't.

I think the thing to be learned about Al Qaeda's doings right now is that they're running out of new ways to terrorize people. If they keep trying the same attacks, governments eventually learn how to find them and stop them. The public also gets desensitized, especially as the terrorists run out of big targets that are close to the U.S. As far as hostage taking goes, Iran tried it and it worked, Saddam tried it and it didn't work, and the insurgents tried it and it didn't work.

They may yet find another way to kill thousands of Americans at once and make us more frightened and angry, but it isn't clear what they stand to gain by it.

[FairOpinion]

BREAKING:

FoxNews just stated that the terror warning that Australia mentioned recently, INCLUDED AL QAEDA ATTACKS ON SHIPS OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA!!!!!!!!

[CindyDawg]

All those tourists with cameras and not one video?

[dr_who_2]

Ahhh... Well, they botched it. But they may try again. I wonder if uncle sam has considered going back to somalia. Not very attractive, especially since there's still Syria and Iran.

[jimbo123]

But the liberal media is saying this was an failed attack by "pirates", not by muslim, religion of death, al qaeda terrorists.

[fallujah-nuker]

Thanks for the picture, they remind me of the "youths" in Paris. I think the piracy common in the Malacca Straits also involves "youths?" And the Barbary pirates were also "youths."

[pepperdog]

I do believe the majority of the "hotel" staff on cruise ships are Indonesian, probably Muslim. So the problem may not be simply repelling pirates but keeping the on board sympathizers from joining in. This is why I will not book another cruise until I'm assured the majority of the staff is from pro-American countries. I'd like to have the staff be American but for some reason the only thing Americans do on cruise ships now days is entertain.

[FairOpinion]

"I do believe the majority of the "hotel" staff on cruise ships are Indonesian, probably Muslim. "


====

You are making a good point. The terrorists attacking the ship may have counted on inside help to keep the passengers and rest of the crew subdued.

[FDNYRHEROES]

100 Nautical Miles off the Somalia Coast, eh?
Somebody screwed up...Big Time.

From the Notices To Mariners:
Maritime Administration Advisories:

2005-3 SOMALI PIRACY
TO: OPERATORS OF U.S. FLAG AND EFFECTIVE U.S. CONTROLLED VESSELS AND OTHER MARITIME INTERESTS THIS MARAD ADVISORY ON PIRACY OFF THE COAST OF SOMALIA ORIGINATED FROM THE NATIONAL MARITIME INTELLIGENCE CENTER, OFFICE OF NAVAL INTELLIGENCE.
1. THE NATIONAL MARITIME INTELLIGENCE CENTER (NMIC) ADVISES THAT TWO MORE AT SEA MERCHANT VESSEL HIJACKINGS ON 18 AND 20 OCTOBER OFF THE EAST COAST OF SOMALIA, DEMONSTRATES PIRATES ABILITY TO CONDUCT AT SEA HIJACKINGS FROM AS FAR SOUTH AS KISMAYO (02 S) TO AS FAR NORTH AS EYL(08 N), AND OUT TO A DISTANCE OF 170 NM.
2. ALL VESSELS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN AT LEAST 200 NM FROM THE EASTCOAST OF SOMALIA. ALL MERCHANT VESSELS TRANSITING THE COAST OFSOMALIA, NO MATTER HOW FAR OFFSHORE, SHOULD INCREASE ANTI-PIRACY PRECAUTIONS AND MAINTAIN A HEIGHTENED STATE OF VIGILANCE. PIRATES ARE REPORTED TO HAVE USED PREVIOUSLY HIJACKED SHIPS AS BASES FOR FURTHER ATTACKS.
3. ANOTHER REPORTED PIRATE TACTIC HAS BEEN TO ISSUE A FALSE DISTRESS CALL TO LURE A SHIP CLOSE INSHORE. THEREFORE, CAUTION SHOULD BE TAKEN WHEN RESPONDING TO DISTRESS CALLS KEEPING IN MIND IT MAY BE A TACTIC TO LURE A VESSEL INTO A TRAP.
4. VICTIMIZED VESSELS REPORT TWO TO THREE 6 TO 9 METER SPEEDBOATS WITH 3 TO 6 ARMED MEN PER VESSEL ARMED WITH AK-47S AND SHOULDER LAUNCHED ROCKETS, OPENING FIRE ON THEIR VESSELS IN BROAD DAYLIGHT IN ORDER TO INTIMIDATE THEM INTO STOPPING.
5. TO DATE, VESSELS THAT INCREASE SPEED AND TAKE EVASIVE MANEUVERS AVOID BOARDING WHILE THOSE THAT SLOW DOWN ARE BOARDED, TAKEN TO THESOMALI COASTLINE, AND RELEASED AFTER SUCCESSFUL RANSOM PAYMENT,OFTEN AFTER PROTRACTED NEGOTIATIONS OF AS MUCH AS 11 WEEKS.
6. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THIS ADVISORY, CONTACT THE MARITIME ADMINISTRATION, OFFICE OF SHIP OPERATIONS, CODE MAR-613, ROOM2122, 400 7TH STREET, WASHINGTON, DC 20590; TELEPHONE 202-366-5735, OR BYE-MAIL TO OPCENTR1.MARAD@DOT.GOV. (281800Z OCT 2005)

[1066AD]

FoxNews said they yawed & sped up to create a nice big wash !
Seem to remember a report a few months ago where some USN or GIs fought off some attackers off Yemen(I think).

[1066AD]

The NCL Hawaiian cruises are US crewed.

[pepperdog]

Thanks for that info.

[the invisib1e hand]

The crew used an on-board loud acoustic bang to fight off the attackers, leading them to believer they were under heavy fire.

fool them once...

[When do we get liberated?]

We are truely blessed by the stupidity of our enemies...

[justshutupandtakeit]

Moslem pirates naturally.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I imagine they wanted to sink the ship.