Posted on 01/06/2009 11:34:01 AM PST by Stoat
EXCLUSIVE
Brits fight off deadly pirates
The three-man ex-military security team were hired to protect cargo ship S. Venus in the pirate infested waters of the Gulf of Aden off the Africa coast.
On four separate occasions between New Year's Eve and New Year's Day Somali pirates – armed with AK-47s and rocket propelled grenades (RPG) – tried to hijack the boat by force.
Alex Little, 43, said: "We knew if we engaged them and they won we would be killed.
"It was a fight for our lives but we decided we were going to save this boat - it was emotional."
The men, who work for APMSS security, were protecting the 190-metre long cargo ship on its two day voyage ferrying barley from Aden to Oman.
Denied guns by law, the men were forced to used improvised weapons – including mini grenades made out of light bulbs and paint thinner.
Former Royal Marine Kevin Brewin, 52, lead the team of Alex and Ian Knight, 38, on their mission to defend the vulnerable vessel.
He said: "We made the decision to fight and that is what we did. I suppose looking back it was pretty hairy but at the time you just get stuck in and do your job.
"Ian had made some Molotov cocktails out of light bulbs by taking out the element, filling it with paint thinner and plugging the top with toilet paper."
Despite the vicious onslaught the men hatched an audacious defence – pouring paint thinner straight into a pirate boat – before firing a flare gun into it.
During the last attack the S. Venus captain had headed towards a nearby French frigate which had been alerted to their plight during the third attack.
The Premier Maitre L'Her picked up and arrested eight pirates who were handed over to Puntland, a state in north eastern Somalia.
The trio are now safely back in the UK after their dramatic ordeal.
Their boss Nick Davis and owner of APMSS said: "It was unbelievably brave - to be attacked four times is unprecedented.
"They really are heroes. This team performed above and beyond the call of duty.”
And it's a real shame that they were forced to manufacture their own weapons in order to do their job
Denied guns by law, the men were forced to used improvised weapons – including mini grenades made out of light bulbs and paint thinner.
So a three-man security team was hired to protect the vessel...with what weaponry? did their employer expect them to engage AK-47's and RPG's with hand-to-hand combat? It seems that quite a bit is missing from this initial report...hopefully other sources will fill in the blanks in the days to come.
In the meantime I hope that these brave men will be given substantial awards for such bravery and valor.
.50 Caliber ping
These three xheroes are back in Britain, and more than likely the pirates have been released and are back on the bounding main.
It is crazy to force ships to cross pirate infested waters unarmed. By this time whoever made such an idiotic law should have looked at it and changed it,but that might stop the pirates, and it sure looks like that isnt the objective here. One good hand grenade here would have solved the problem for good and all.
When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.
I STILL think it would be great to outfit a Carnival Cruise Lines Somali Pirates NRA/GOA cruise. “Barbary Tour 2009 — Great Eats, Great Shooting!”
Agreed
Sea Marshalls needed... (sic)
“Former Royal Marine Kevin Brewin”
It would RAH was correct - there are no dangerous weapons, only dangerous people.
I can only wonder what the outcome might have been had the RM beeen granted access to a MPMG or (horrors) a Ma Duce.
I wouldn’t even consider getting on a ship sailing through that area without my Mini-14 onhand...
I think going forward some of these hired teams will be having real weapons. The crew will not report it, the ship's owner will gladly finance it, and obviously the pirates will not be talking to anyone from many fathoms down.
Or maybe it is already happening ....a lot could happen to pirates without anyone ever knowing, and I am sure there MUST be some pirate boats that head out in the morning and never return.
Who’s law prohibits them from carrying guns? They were at sea.
I think I see why the pirates are so bold, as usual the law favors the wrong side.
Some enterprising fishermen could make a bundle from selling small arms from their boats on the high seas. A few old AKs and a couple of RPGs could make a big difference in the hands of ex-military personnel.
Well there's your problem....in a nut shell. They need to be able to ARM THEMSELVES!
the do skeet shoot off the fan tail. So take about 50 shotguns and a couple of cases of slugs. 7/8 of an ounce of lead. It will go through a boat or a terrorist.
Improvised weapons and bravery ping...
No kidding. If these guys really signed on under such terms, they're brave bordering on insane.
Can ANYBODY explain the logic behind the restrictions which prevent merchant vessels and their crews from carrying weapons to protect themselves?
Sounds like quite a plausible and likely scenario...thank you!
> And it’s a real shame that they were forced to manufacture their own weapons in order to do their job
These four guys are just like Hannibal Smith and the A-Team!
Improvised weapons — I love it!
Sea Marshalls needed... (sic)
<<Exactly!
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