Posted on 11/05/2005 9:29:46 AM PST by Pokey78
MIAMI (AP) - Pirates fired a rocket-propelled grenade and machine guns Saturday in an attack on a luxury cruise liner off the east African coast, the vessel's owners said.
Two armed boats approached the Seabourn Spirit about 100 miles off the coast of Somalia and fired as the boats' occupants attempted to get onboard, said Bruce Good, a spokesman for Miami-based Seabourn Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corp.
The crew initiated a trained response and avoided being boarded, Good said. The ship outran them and changed its course.
"Our suspicion at this time is that the motive was theft," Good said.
One member of the 161-person crew was slightly injured before the attackers were repelled, according to a London-based Seabourn Cruises spokesman.
Press Association, the British news agency, said passengers awoke to the sound of gunfire as two 25-foot inflatable boats approached the liner. The injured crew member was reportedly hit by flying debris.
The vessel's 151 passengers, mostly Americans with some Australians and Europeans, were gathered in a lounge for their safety, Good said. None were injured.
The Spirit had been bound for Mombasa, Kenya, at the end of a 16-day voyage from Alexandria, Egypt. It was expected to reach the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean later Saturday, and then continue on its previous schedule to Singapore, Good said.
The 10,000-ton cruise ship, registered in the Bahamas, sustained minor damage, Good said. "They took some fire, but it's safe to sail," he said.
Weenies indeed, you said it.
The skeet guns, last cruise I took the Dr on board (he doubled as the skeet shooting coordinator) told me they kept buckshot for just such instances.
"Unidentified luxury cruise M/V, with 600 passengers from Europe for Kenyan port city of Mombasa, narrowly escaped seizure by gunmen off the pirate-infested Somali coast when she sped off to high seas amid a trail of gunfire. Capt. made distress call & later switched off radio communication to avoid being traced by the hijackers -- gunmen sailing in 3 boats later abandoned chase as they could not venture into high seas -- no one injured in botched hijack. We also would not identify our ship -- had we been so stupid to sail these waters with paying passengers. (Sat. Nov. 5, 2005)"
http://www.cargolaw.com/presentations_casualties.html
Me neither! Was it because at the time ... I'll go look it up.
Q Ships indeed...that would put an end to this crap.
You win the idiot post of the day award.
Why the hell would anyone want to go there??...
LOL! I like your solution(s) better :D
...for an additional $$$$, may bring our 20mm 4X Bofors cannon/mount, too?
What's a Q ship?
I choose not to blame the victim. I think anybody that tries to storm a cruise ship deserves what they get.
Ron Paul argues for commissioning privateers to hunt Bin Laden.
>
Anybody over there on "vacation" deserves what they get.
>
What? Look at this. This is a bunch of 75 yr old retirees cruising to some tourist stops and having to unpack their bags only once.
>
The Spirit had been bound for Mombasa, Kenya, at the end of a 16-day voyage from Alexandria, Egypt. It was expected to reach the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean later Saturday, and then continue on its previous schedule to Singapore, Good said.
>
They're going from Alexandria (site of the ancient library) to the Seychelles and Singapore. What can be wrong with this? Are you suspecting this is some 75 yr olds in a cruise ship terror cell? Ha!
Terrorist Class....can you all say, "REHEARSAL?"
WEEKLY IMB PIRATE REPORTS ___
27 Oct. 2005 at 2030 LT in position 20:47.8N - 017:01.8W, off Nouadhibou inner anchorage, Mauritania. Eight pirates in wooden boat fitted with outboard motor approached bulk carrier. Two robbers boarded via anchor chain. Duty a/b noticed & raised alarm. Robbers escaped in their boat. Port control informed. (Fri. Nov. 4, 2005)
27 Oct. 2005 at 0836 LT in position 08:41.565S - 115:43.911E, Lombok strait, Indonesia. Pirates armed with guns in a speedboat fired upon a chemical tanker underway. Bridge window was destroyed by gunshots. No injuries to crew. Several fishing boats were in the vicinity. (Fri. Nov. 4, 2005)
27 Oct. 2005 between 0001 - 0100 LT in position 01:59.6N - 118:08.7E, off Muara Pantai, east Kalimantan, Indonesia. Pirates boarded a bulk carrier at anchor during cargo operations -- stole forward liferaft & ship's stores and escaped in their speedboat. (Fri. Nov. 4, 2005)
26 Oct. 2005 at 1810 LT in position 06:09N - 053:45E, 250 nm off east coast of Somalia. Five speedboats flashed lights at tanker underway and chased her. One boat increased speed and came close on port beam. Crew switched on deck lights and ship moved further away from the Somali coast and boat gave up chase. (Fri. Nov. 4, 2005)
23 Oct.2005 at 1800 UTC at Zhanjiang no. 2 inner anchorage, China. Pirates boarded a tanker via hawse pipe -- broke open forward locker & stole ship's stores. Several small fishing boats were in vicinity. Authorities informed. (Fri. Nov. 4, 2005)
Ramming an inflatable with a cruise ship is slightly more difficult than nailing jello to the wall...
They should pack slugs for the shotguns.
Get the good skeet shooters on hand, and let loose.
"What's a Q ship?"
Merchant ships with hidden deck guns. Brits used them during World wars 1-2 to take out German U boats that surfaced to fire their deck guns at what they tought would be an unarmed ship.
Maybe just to go somewhere odd and rough it. Lots of place I plan to stay away from such as Somalia (where they sure hate American's) and Aruba.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.