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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7432612.stm

Page last updated at 23:03 GMT, Monday, 2 June 2008 00:03 UK

“Navies to tackle Somali pirates”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: The UN Security Council has unanimously voted to allow countries to send warships into Somalia’s territorial waters to tackle pirates.

The resolution permits countries that have the agreement of Somalia’s interim government to use any means to repress acts of piracy for the next six months.”

ARTICLE SNIPPET: “Somalia’s coastal waters are near shipping routes connecting the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean, and the country’s government is unable to police its own coastline.

Aid agencies say 6,000 civilians have died in the past year in Mogadishu
Consequently, piracy is rife off Somalia’s 1,800 mile-long coast, says the BBC UN correspondent Laura Trevelyan.”

Note: To read the entire report; please click on the link below.

ICC-CCS.ORG - THE WEEKLY PIRACY REPORT - REPORT SNIPPET - QUOTE:
http://www.icc-ccs.org/prc/piracyreport.php

Weekly Piracy Report
27 May-2 June 2008

The following is a summary of the daily reports broadcast by the IMB’s Piracy Reporting Centre to ships in Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean Regions on the SafetyNET service of Inmarsat-C from 27 May to 2 June 2008.

ALERT

Chittagong anchorage, Bangladesh
The number of attacks has reduced since 2006. However, the area is still listed as a high risk area and mariners are advised to be cautious especially while approaching the anchorage and while at anchor at Chittagong

Nigeria
Violent attacks carried out by pirates on board vessels at anchor and vessel carrying out STS operations. Mariners are advised to exercise extreme caution in these waters.

Suspicious crafts

27.05.2008: 0748 UTC: 14:04.30N-049:23.72E: Gulf of Aden.
A suspicious speedboat, with five persons, was noticed proceeding towards a tanker underway. Master increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres and called the coalition forces. Unable to intercept the vessel, after about forty minutes the boat aborted and moved away. At the same time, another boat was seen crossing the bows at a distance of 3 nm.

28.05.2008: 1200 UTC: 13:43N-048:50E: Gulf of Aden.
Four suspicious high-speed boats, length about 15 meters, wooden/plastic gray hull with four persons in each boat tried to approach a tanker underway. Master took evasive manoeuvres to prevent the speedboats from approaching closer. One speedboat crossed the bow at a distance of 0.5 miles. Later, the boats aborted and moved away in a south-easterly direction.
Recently reported incidents

27.05.2008:0545 LT: offshore Lagos, Nigeria.
Four robbers armed with knives boarded a product tanker at anchor. They lowered a hose into Cargo Tank No. 1 and started to discharge cargo into the boat. Duty crew spotted them and raised the alarm. The robbers threatened the crew. Crew retreated into the accommodation and returned armed with pipes, sticks etc. On seeing the crew armed, the robbers threw their knives towards the crew and jumped overboard. No injuries to crew

28.05.2008: 1040 UTC: 13:09N - 048:58E, Gulf of Aden.
Four heavily armed pirates, in a speedboat, attacked and hijacked a general cargo ship underway. They sailed the vessel into Somali territorial waters. Further details awaited.