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Pirates seize Ukrainian ship off Somalia coast: official
AFP ^
| 25 September 2008
| by Otto Bakano
Posted on 09/25/2008 1:39:41 PM PDT by Grzegorz 246
NAIROBI (AFP) - Pirates on Thursday seized a Ukrainian cargo ship off the coast of Somalia while it was en route to the Kenyan port of Mombasa, a maritime official told AFP.
The hijackers commandeered the Belize-flagged Faina to a yet unknown location, said Andrew Mwngura who runs the Kenya chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Programme.
"It was sailing from the Baltics and was expected in Mombasa on September 27," he added. "As usual, the pirates were armed on a speedboat when they seized the ship, but we do not know where they have taken it."
Somali pirates often take ships to Eyl, a pirate den in the country's northern breakaway region of Puntland.
Dozens of ships, mainly merchant vessels, have been seized by gangs off Somalia's 3,700-kilometre (2,300-mile) coastline in recent years, despite the presence of Western navies deployed in the region to fight terrorism.
The pirates travel in speedboats and are armed with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades. They sometimes hold ships for weeks until they are released for large ransoms paid by governments or owners.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: islam; mohammedanism; pirates; somolia; transportation; ukraine
Interfax claims that the ship was transporting 30 T-72 tanks.
To: onedoug; AnalogReigns; The_Media_never_lie; dixiebelle; voteNRA; valkyry1; Monkey Face; ...
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To: Grzegorz 246
Who can explain how, if the ship mounted four M-2 .50 machine guns (bow, stern, port side and starboard,) such a speedboat could get within a mile of the ship?
3
posted on
09/25/2008 1:43:04 PM PDT
by
MindBender26
(Never kick a leftist when they are down. Wait until they are halfway back up. You get more leverage!)
To: Grzegorz 246
“Interfax claims that the ship was transporting 30 T-72 tanks”
for Kenya???
4
posted on
09/25/2008 1:43:56 PM PDT
by
elpadre
(nation)
To: MindBender26
But but but that would violate international LAW!!!!
5
posted on
09/25/2008 1:45:27 PM PDT
by
null and void
(Good advice is something a man gives when he is too old to set a bad example.-F. de La Rochefoucauld)
To: elpadre
Interfax claims that the ship was transporting 30 T-72 tanks
for Kenya???
Makes sense...Barack Obama supports communist Despot in Kenya..who cut a deal with the islamo-facists..who probably got screwed and now it is retribution time.
it’s all in Jerome Corsi’s book
Obama Nation
6
posted on
09/25/2008 1:46:19 PM PDT
by
LtKerst
(Lt Kerst)
To: Grzegorz 246; MotleyGirl70; Cagey; Mr. Brightside; Rb ver. 2.0; lesser_satan; Taffini; jdm; ...
JERRY: (Pointing out) ..... Some of those heckles were really uncalled for: "Avast ye matey" -
what the hell does that mean?! "20 degrees off the starboard side -
the Spanish Galleon!" - there's no comeback for that!
7
posted on
09/25/2008 1:50:46 PM PDT
by
Gamecock
(Life is to short for bad theology.)
To: LtKerst
If they ever get one of these things seaworthy enough to lurk offshore for extended periods they could put a real hurting on the pirate industry.
8
posted on
09/25/2008 1:53:45 PM PDT
by
Rebelbase
To: Grzegorz 246
It’s about time for a combined naval operation on Eyl.
9
posted on
09/25/2008 1:53:50 PM PDT
by
CPOSharky
(Blaming CO2 for global warming is like blaming your thermometer for your kid's fever.)
To: Grzegorz 246
Talk like a pirate day was last week.
10
posted on
09/25/2008 1:54:38 PM PDT
by
conservaDave
(You can't ignore the democRAT...He's a menace to health, home and industry...kill him!)
To: Grzegorz 246
I think this story would make a great movie. But it would have to be rated ‘ARRRRRRRRRRRRR’.
11
posted on
09/25/2008 1:56:46 PM PDT
by
swain_forkbeard
(Rationality may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.)
To: Grzegorz 246
This Somalia pirate thing is just absurd. If the civilized nations of the world grouped together and ran a protection security escort of several warships for all the ships running through here, these shenanigans would come to an instant stop, and the cost would be minimal.
To: AmericaUnited
As for me - I would hire Blackwater. They know how to get the job done - quickly, effectively, quietly - and at a reasonable cost.
13
posted on
09/25/2008 2:17:56 PM PDT
by
elpadre
(nation)
To: null and void
Winners, in everything from corporate takeovers, to gunfights, to wars, those winners write the history books.
14
posted on
09/25/2008 2:20:39 PM PDT
by
MindBender26
(Never kick a leftist when they are down. Wait until they are halfway back up. You get more leverage!)
To: AmericaUnited
I'm sorry, but I disagree with your plan.
Thomas Jefferson dealt with the Barbary Pirates with invasion, and burning of their cities. In and out.
Nowadays, I think just turning one aircraft carrier loose for a single day with orders to blow up anything floating, transmitting, or rolling would do the trick. Would take them years to recover.
15
posted on
09/25/2008 2:20:52 PM PDT
by
SENTINEL
(SGT USMC COMBAT VET.)
To: SENTINEL
Finally someone with the correct answer!
I'm talking PEST CONTROL!!
16
posted on
09/25/2008 2:33:00 PM PDT
by
Jimmy Valentine
(DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
To: MindBender26
Happens all the time. Speedboats are small, fast-moving craft, which makes them difficult to see from long distances and hard to hit once you do see them. Plus crewman on cargo ships are usually less skilled at fighting than pirates. Very often pirates have someone on the inside, having planned the job long before the targeted ship even left port.
Piracy is a huge problem in that part of the world.
To: Grzegorz 246
Why are crews and ships not armed???? It doesn’t take cannons these days.A .50 BMG would probably be quite sufficient and a couple of shotguns if they get on board.
18
posted on
09/25/2008 3:04:12 PM PDT
by
arthurus
(Old age and guile beats youth and enthusiasm.)
To: curiosity
Was problem in SEA for a while. Private security services were put aboard ships. 4 men to a ship. They worked 6 on, 6 off while in dangerous waters. One would watch radar, other would watch water from high point on ship (traditional lookout)
Visual observer would use combination thermal/light amplification viewer at night. Thermal would see boat easily, as would starlight scope see bow and stern wakes, especially the phosphorescent kind.
Their favorite weapon was the Glock 18. Fully automatic 9mm pea shooter.
Imagine what you could so with a Ma Duce, or even an M-60.
19
posted on
09/25/2008 5:52:53 PM PDT
by
MindBender26
(Never kick a leftist when they are down. Wait until they are halfway back up. You get more leverage!)
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