Posted on 11/06/2005 2:40:49 PM PST by mdittmar
Edited on 11/07/2005 12:17:34 AM PST by Sidebar Moderator. [history]
AN unexploded missile is embedded in an accommodation unit after a possible terrorist attack off the east African coast, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has said today.
The passengers on the US-owned Seabourn Spirit were woken by machinegun fire and a rocket-propelled grenade crashing into the vessel at dawn on Saturday about 160km off the coast of the lawless nation of Somalia. The luxury cruise ship is about to dock in the Seychelles, but Mr Downer said that could be delayed while officials disarm the unexploded ordnance.
"We're not sure whether in the early stages the ship will be able to tie up at the wharf there because of concern about an unexploded rocket that is embedded in some of the passenger accommodation of the ship," Mr Downer told the Nine Network.
"American officials are going to board it initially to deal with that problem, and once that problem's dealt with then our consular officer will be able to go on board as well."
The attack was believed to have been carried out by pirates, but Mr Downer said it may have been a terrorist act.
"The whole thing is an extraordinary story, that it would be attacked by, we're not quite sure who at this stage, but it's possible the people who attacked the ship were terrorists," he said.
Mr Downer said it was not known exactly how many Australians were on board, with 13 named on the ship's passenger list and another six who were thought to have joined the cruise.
The ship, with more than 300 people on board, was on its way to the Kenyan port of Mombasa where it was due to pick up more passengers, including Australians.
Those Australians will now be met by a consular official from Australia's embassy in Nairobi.
The passengers awoke about 5.30am on Saturday to the sound of gunfire as two armed vessels approached the Seabourn Spirit.
Sydney couple Gayle and Bob Meagher, who are aboard the ship, described the moment they realised they were in the firing line.
Mr Meagher said he could see the pirates shooting at the ship.
"It was a frightening experience to see the flash of a rocket launcher and you just wonder what's about to happen to you in the next couple of seconds," he told the Seven Network.
Ms Meagher said the captain stayed calm, warning passengers: "We have people shooting at us, we are going to try to outrun them."
"(It was) a little bit more exciting than we planned for," she said.
"The sounds were very sharp like doors banging."
The 7.5-metre inflatable boats approached the vessel and fired as their occupants attempted to get on board the liner.
Seabourn Spirit was not boarded, managing to outrun the attackers and change its course.
One member of the crew was slightly injured before the attackers were repulsed, a London-based Seabourn Cruises spokesman said. The crew member was reportedly hit by flying debris.
The ship has 161 crew members and 151 passengers.
The company said the ship, registered in the Bahamas, sustained minor damage and was safe to sail.
<< Where is the US military response? >>
It'll be right along as soon as the administration gets done:
Absolutely abrogating all of its responsibilities and duties insofar as our sovereign borders and protections against foreign invasion is concerned;
Communizing education and pharmecutecals for geezers;
Abrogating the First Amendment; [McCain Feingold]
Criminalizing American business, [Sarbanes Oxley]
Overseeing the Johnsonization of the most blatantly corrupt feral squandering of more of Americans' confiscated wealth than has ever before been even delusionally fantasized;
Appointing inept friends and cronies to high office and;
Placing women in combat roles in the midst of American-Serviceman-intensive war being conducted by Clintonesque and as often as not appointed, PC-oriented pentagon bureaucrats and lawyers.
Straight after all of that.
Baring, that is, any opportunity that comes along to chuck another Hundred Billion Dollars or so of your great-great-great-grandchildren's confiscated wealth at a hurricane or flood, most of whose human and property damage will always be the product of criminally-irresponsible federal "insurance."
It'll be right along, about then.
BUMPping
What, like tie one end of a rope to the unexploded rocket and the other end of the rope to a missile? *pschewwww* *yank* *BOOM*
Or, "Hey sailor, why don't you bring that over to the office so we can look at it".
Theres ways....it ain't all pretty, just sand bag the area and have fire supression ready, easy day was yesterday.
.... Best way ain't for publication.......:o)
As US army stated above, countercharge is an option to BIP aka blow in place.
Stay safe ! , Nite ......I gotta get some sleep !
Folks use to laugh at us because we kept our doors locked.....we explained how great it was to have someone bring in a 66MM Law rocket into yer office and slap it on the desk and say lookie what I found !!!!!
We kept the doors locked, and a sandbag bunker on the parking lot for just such discoveries by the help......:o)
Nothing like pucker factor as ya well know for those kinda suprises. Knock on the door, we peek out and say what ya got and if it was uxo we had em drop it in the pit........let the andros work it.
Stay safe !!! I'm really gone now !
didnt they supply weapons to oil tankers a few years back, i seem to recall it was to 'repel boarders'
jeeze repel boarders, it all very 'thar she blows', 'hoist the jolly roger', 'there be dragons' kinda stuff...
Exactly! I didn't know they even went near Somalia...talk about a sitting duck.
..........................................
Real Advice:
Install 20 and 40mm machine guns on all decks, charge passengers for turkey shoot.
Offer premium cruises to 'pirate' infested waters...
:-)
My senior-citizen mother in law: "I guess they looked like pirates."
According to one report I heard, "the ship is outfitted with water canons for attacks like this." Oh no, water!
.
I don't know. You could tell them it was a bath. They are frightened of them from what I can tell.
Hey! I like that. Maybe the NRA could charter a cruise! Rid the world of some violent parasites AND get in some quality target practice!
Otherwise, it really doesn't take a genius to figure out that cruising off the coasts of violent, lawless countries is a BAD idea. Let those liberal 'everybody is the same' types run their own cruise ship if they MUST get a close-up look at barbaric countries- or they could ask Greenpeace to do some charter tours. No great loss then.
Now there's some thinkin'!
Shooting range pleasure cruise.
LOL!
Greenpeace has its own problems.
Nobody at the helm over there.
Thanks for that rather astute summary of the current American condition.
aye, matey! Reminds me of my favorite joke. He har!
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