Posted on 04/19/2009 12:39:53 PM PDT by kellynla
NAIROBI, Kenya -- NATO warships and helicopters pursued Somali pirates for seven hours after they attacked a Norwegian tanker, NATO spokesmen said Sunday, and the high-speed chase only ended when warning shots were fired at the pirates' skiff.
Seven pirates attempted to attack the Norwegian-flagged MV Front Ardenne late Saturday but fled after crew took evasive maneuvers and alerted warships in the area, said Portuguese Lt. Cmdr. Alexandre Santos Fernandes, aboard a warship in the Gulf of Aden, and Cmdr. Chris Davies, of NATO's maritime headquarters in England.
"How the attack was thwarted is unclear, it appears to have been the actions of the tanker," Davies said. Fernandes said no shots were fired at the tanker.
Davies said the pirates sailed into the path of the Canadian warship Winnipeg, which was escorting a World Food Program delivery ship through the Gulf of Aden. The American ship USS Halyburton was also in the area and joined the chase.
"There was a lengthy pursuit, over seven hours," Davies said.
The pirates hurled weapons into the dark seas as the Canadian and U.S. warships closed in. The ships are part of NATO's anti-piracy mission.
"The skiff abandoned the scene and tried to escape to Somali territory," Fernandes said. "It was heading toward Bossaso we managed to track them ... warning shots have been made after several attempts to stop the vessel."
Both ships deployed helicopters, and naval officers hailed the pirates over loudspeakers and finally fired warning shots to stop them, Fernandes said, but not before the pirates had dumped most of their weapons overboard. NATO forces boarded the skiff, where they found a rocket-propelled grenade, and interrogated, disarmed and released the pirates.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
“Both ships deployed helicopters, and naval officers hailed the pirates over loudspeakers and finally fired warning shots to stop them, Fernandes said, but not before the pirates had dumped most of their weapons overboard. NATO forces boarded the skiff, where they found a rocket-propelled grenade, and interrogated, disarmed and released the pirates.”
HUH?????
I hope they gave them sternly worded letters before releasing them!
RELEASED THEM? Boy, we’re just going to let the COCKROACHES swarm and consume the world, all in the name of cultural diversity and tolerance.
Yes I had to read that twice, What are they doing? these are the same people who drug our people dead down the road in Mogadishu before the cheering crowds.
They should catch, tag and release and use them for ‘PUFF’ practice... AC130 lamp is lit. ;-)
Blow their asses out of the water and put a stop to this nonsense! The world's navies...especially the US Navy have more important things to do with their limited time and resources.
What a sad display of symbolism over substance. And a collosal waste of money.
Release the criminals to try again another day.
The permanent cure for piracy (anyone argue that it's a good thing?) is immediate termination with extreme prejudice.
The Norwegians should be ashamed. Their Viking ancestors would have shown no mercy. None was warranted, either.
When the pirates finally surrendered, NATO forces disarmed and interrogated the bandits, then freed them, citing legal issues over arresting them. Fernandes the pirates were released because Canadian law did not allow their prosecution if they committed no crimes against Canadians or on Canadian soil.
This is the sort of thing that breeds them and needs stopped. I am sure they had a good laugh.
You got that right. “We’d like to do something about it, but....”
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