Retired Brit tourists fought off Somali pirates with deckchairs

Daily Mail ^ | 5th May 2011

[george76]

A retired couple who were enjoying a luxury cruise fought off Somali pirates with deck chairs as they attempted to storm the ship and kidnap them.

John and Barbara Jeffery had been enjoying the trip of a lifetime when the violent pirates tried to take over the ship they were sailing on.

As gun shot rang out, the couple defiantly armed themselves with deck chairs, tables and whatever came to hand as they helped to beat off the outlaws.

terror struck just one week in, when the MSC Melody was off the coast of Somalia, a spot haunted by pirates, when the couple and their fellow cruise passengers spotted a small speed boat following them.

Mr Jeffery described how the bandits struck in the night: 'It was about 11.30 in the evening.

'There would have been about 15 to 20 of us on deck. We had decided to enjoy our drinks outside as the entertainment in the bar area wasn't up to much.

'One of the passengers said they could see a small boat following us in the wake of our ship.

'I could hear the engine of the boat as well. When I looked over the side we saw their small boat had pulled up alongside us.'

John said the pirates hauled themselves aboard by slinging a rope over the side: 'I don't know how but they had somehow managed to get a rope hooked on to one of the lower decks and there was a pirate climbing up the side.'

With no members of the crew or security guards nearby, the passengers realised they would have to take matters into their own hands.

[JPG]

Strange to see a story about a cruise ship and deck chairs with no mention of Titanic or icebergs.

[Tupelo]

Deck Chairs are good.
AR15 is better.

[Tainan]

"As gun shot rang out, the couple defiantly armed themselves with deck chairs, tables and whatever came to hand as they helped to beat off the outlaws."

As the old jokes goes...
Meanwhile...back at the ranch...Granny is beating off the Indians!

[RayChuang88]

I just wished they would allow the revival of the Q-Ship--essentially a ship that looks like a conventional cargo ship but when the Somali pirates get too close the M2 Browning machine gun and M242 Bushmaster gun emplacements are unveiled and a small number of well-placed rounds will end the attack in short order.

[AZLiberty]

I’d like to see the brochures and TV ads for Somalia cruises! I picture Mr. and Mrs. Howell wielding deck chairs while Gilligan swabs the deck.

[GATOR NAVY]

I didn’t know MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Co.) had cruise ships. I was thinking this was a container ship that offered passenger service.

Looking up the ship on Wikipedia I see it was also attacked by pirates off the Seychelles in 2009.

[magslinger]

That wasn't in the brochure.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks george76.

With no members of the crew or security guards nearby, the passengers realised they would have to take matters into their own hands.

Unfortunately, this is another pirates-thwarted story which doesn't end, "tossed their lifeless carcasses to the sharks".

[SunkenCiv]

Guess they chaised them off.

[magslinger]

Guess they chaised them off.

LOL! Post of the thread!

[TheOldLady]

Ah, deck chair porn. Give us more.

[TheOldLady]

They weren’t lounging around.

[LibFreeOrDie]

Although the article is dated May 5 2011, the incident occurred in 2009.

[SunkenCiv]

There wasn’t anything I could do with “shuffleboard”. ;’)

[a fool in paradise]

Rearranging the deck chairs WORKED for once!

[a fool in paradise]

Somewhere, there is a Somali with a headwound having to explain to his buddies he got owned by a chair.

They are still working their way through defense against being attacked by a banana or a pointy stick.

[Seadog Bytes]

:))

[skinkinthegrass]

LOL! BUMP!

[skinkinthegrass]

....This thread should really be great on September 19, 2011
INTERNATIONAL TALK-LIKE-A-PIRATE DAY!

[Gene Eric]

>> Guess they chaised them off.

I’m reclined to agree.