Pirates Hijack Second US Vessel

BBC ^ | 11 April 2009 | Staff

[BarnacleCenturion]

Somali pirates have hijacked a US-owned tugboat in the Gulf of Aden with 16 crew on board, reports say.

Maritime industry sources say the tug, which sails under an Italian flag, was towing two barges at the time of the attack, at 1100 local time (0800 GMT).

The crew are said to be unharmed. The US and Italian governments have not confirmed the hijacking.

Meanwhile pirates holding a US captain hostage have warned that using force to rescue him could result in "disaster".

The pirates said they hoped to transfer Capt Richard Phillips from a lifeboat to a bigger vessel, as US and other naval ships made their way to the area.

He is being held by four pirates hundreds of kilometres off Somalia.

 

In other developments:

- Sailors on a Panama-flagged bulk carrier repulsed a pirate attack with water hoses. Nato officials on a nearby Portuguese warship said an unexploded rocket-propelled grenade landed in the commanding officer's cabin

- On Friday, one Frenchman and two pirates were killed in a rescue operation by French troops on another vessel captured off Somalia. Four others, including a child, were freed from the yacht

 

[ozarkgirl]

Yes, I understand that point but I feel for the wife. Was watching the news yesterday, don’t think she’s handling this very well. I thought they should pay the ransom, get him off the boat, then blast the boat away. Of course, all the other nations that have hostages will be mad but we have to protect Americans. It’s their job to protect their own countrymen.

[tc45a]

This is a slam-dunk easy answer: the situation is tailor-made for a SEAL team operation.

With the US captain in that enclosed life raft and hijackers sitting next to him?? If the Seals attacked he would be dead in a second.

Get the captain out first with a ransom them bomb them into submission. Kill them all.

[CaptSkip]

To all you armchair quarterbacks, what would you do? To all those who think we should just bomb Somalia, you do realize the captain will die? They (the FBI and the US Navy) are trying to keep the captain alive. It is good Obambi keeps his mouth shut, for once he’s doing something right. He can only make things worse by mouthing off. There is no effective government in Somalia to deal with.


This could have happened days ago.

1) US Navy Seal Team in the water, at night.

2) 4 dead 'skinnys' with throats slashed before they know their dead.

3) Lone hostage rescued and crisis ended.

How's that work for you?

[TN4Liberty]

Good thing he didn’t die right there.

I think the Somalis are smart enough to understand that the hostage is their last chip. If he dies, they are history. Kind of a mini-version of mutually assured destruction.

Surely they know that we could take them out at any minute if we choose to. They are counting on our respect for the life of the hostage. Otherwise, this could be over in five minutes with four dead pirates.

[Amelia]

This ship was flying the Italian flag. This is just another routine hijacking. The ship just happens to be American-owned. I don’t think there are any Americans on board.

Yes, that's my point.

And, I think if these American ship owners decide they want the U.S. Navy to protect/rescue their ships from pirates, they need to pony up and pay U.S. registration and taxes. JMHO.

[JimRed]

Another symptom of a FAILED PRESIDENCY!

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

ALL these hostages would be released within 48 hours. Here's how:

1) Call the terrorists and tell them that we are planning to level each of their home towns, one every day, commencing in 48 hours, unless ALL hostages and ships are immediately released.

2) Drop leaflets over each town, announcing the bombing to commence within 48 hours, unless ALL hostages and ships are immediately released, and giving all residences exactly 48 hours to leave.

3) If they don't comply, level the first town with enough MOAB's to turn it into a broiling cauldron.

4) Repeat as necessary.

[unkus]

Wow, that place looks like a paradise!/s

[ozarkgirl]

This could have happened days ago. 1) US Navy Seal Team in the water, at night. 2) 4 dead 'skinnys' with throats slashed before they know their dead. 3) Lone hostage rescued and crisis ended. How's that work for you?

I like that plan very much! :)

[Dustoff45]

Just because it wasn't reported doesn't mean it didn't happen!

Good Point!!

GWB did say that the public would probably not hear of a lot of the events behind the scenes.

The Texan choose to take care of business quietly, and not run to the press to self-promote at every chance.

A sign of maturity.

Imagine being a terrorist leader and having individuals and cells just falling off of the grid with no feedback as to what happened.

Were they killed?

Did they defect?

Are they questioning my authority?

Are they working against me now?

History will be very kind to GWB.

From 09/11 on he kept our nation safe.

[NormsRevenge]

Them Pirates are just FRee Traders is all.. The world is their oyster, yaknow.

and some actually think paying them off makes everyone safer?

[yield 2 the right]

Are these hijacking happening around 3 am D.C. time?

[massmike]

Well,he DOES have to make sure things go smoothly at the whitehouse Easter egg-roll for all those rainbow “families” he held tickets for....

[Sudetenland]

Casualty of war. It's sad, even tragic, but for America to allow herself to be held hostage by this bunch of pirates is unacceptable.

These pirate raids have been occurring for years. Any ship which transits this area is a potential target for these guys. The captain knew this but took the job anyway. It is a calculated risk, but he knew the risk he was taking.

The only way to stop it is to use extreme violence. You give them a time limit in which to release the captain unharmed. If they fail to meet that time limit, you open fire. Once you have killed them all, you hang their bodies on the beaches of Somalia. You then warn the Somali government to do something about the pirates or we will. You give them a short period of time to do so.

If they fail then you send in the marines and wipe the pirate headquarters out. Americans are only going to be safe if the world fears us. When they cease fearing us, they cease respecting us. That is when they start feeling free to do these kinds of things.

Sorry, but the captain should be sacrificed if necessary to preserve American dignity and sovereignty.

[Sudetenland]

They are already saying that on DU...go figure. Once an anti-American, always an anti-American.

[EGPWS]

It is good Obambi keeps his mouth shut,...

Where were you 2 years ago?

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Every cop soon learns a sobering lesson, pointing a gun at someone *often* does not does not make them do what you say.

"When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk."
-- Tuco

[ozarkgirl]

I can understand and agree with that. I hope we can save the captain, not even so much for himself but for his wife (who seems not to be handling this very well) and his children. Ultimately, I think we HAVE to do SOMETHING or they will continue to take ships flying under the American flag, we can’t allow a 3rd world POS country to hold America hostage. The pirates surely realize they are not going to get away. That, IMO, absolutely cannot be allowed. Sucks to be them.

[Dustoff45]

The only way to stop it is to use extreme violence

Mount several sets of Quad 50s on every vessel.

Fire warning shots if they get close.

If they keep coming continue to fire until the threat is eliminated.

[tc45a]

Sorry, but the captain should be sacrificed if necessary to preserve American dignity and sovereignty.

Unbelievable. Glad you are not making the decisions. Would you say the same thing if that was your dad/husband or brother?