Posted on 02/22/2011 7:36:09 AM PST by NCDragon
DEVELOPING STORY: Four Americans aboard a yacht hijacked by Somali pirates have been killed, Fox News has confirmed. U.S. forces responded to gunfire aboard the yacht Quest at approximately 1 a.m. Tuesday, but discovered all four hostages had been shot by their captors. Despite attempts to save their lives, all four hostages died of their wounds. We express our deepest condolences for the innocent lives callously lost aboard the Quest, said Gen. James N. Mattis, U.S. Central Command Commander in a news release. Two pirates died during the confrontation and 13 were captured and detained, along with two pirates already in custody. U.S. forces also found the remains of two other pirates already dead aboard the vessel and believe a total of 19 pirates were involved in the hijacking. The yacht Quest was hijacked on Friday off the coast of Oman and U.S. forces had been closely monitoring the vessel.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
So you are willing to give up a freedom of movement and activity if you never think you will personally use it?
Personally I will never cross an ocean much less the Indian Ocean in a small yacht, but I would rather not live in a world where this is not possible.
The news article indicates they were in an international yacht race and pulled out to head for Oman, perhaps for repairs.
First it’s loss of individual freedom of the seas to organized criminals, then it’s a loss of free movement and trade for all nations via the sea.
Nations have gone to war and prepared for war rather than accept having to pay tribute to pirates to use the sea
lanes. Does the name “Stephen Decatur” ring a bell?
“Somebody on another thread suggested putting out a false rumor that these people were SEIU members - that might have gotten his attention.”
Obama has more affinity with the Somalis, than with super rich white people from Newport Beach, on a yaght.
The Somalis are from one or two “hoods” over from his papa. Almost like cousins.
He will probably lecture Americans to not rush to judgement, bring Holder in, so he can ponder where to try the suspects, because they are innocent until proven guilty.
Are you a bluewater sailor?
Hard to believe its the same forum.
Right!
"As yachts do not carry cargo, they have never fallen under a protection category, and all authorities, including the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) have recommended that yachts do not transit the Gulf of Aden, traditionally the danger zone for pirates."
http://www.sail-world.com/USA/Yacht-seajacked-in-the-Indian-Ocean/80430
Scott and Jean Adam. Murdered by pirates. Here was their website. http://svquest.com/TableOfContents.htm
Sad but inevitable given the current US and world policy. It makes me very angry that the US has not marshalled forces to wipe out the pirates and their supporters on the Somali mainland. Instead we have kangaroo courts in Kenya which result in the perps being kicked loose.
Amazing how a vastly weaker US government was able to solve this problem 200 years ago and yet Obama is incapable of doing so today with far superior resources. We need to bring back bounty hunters, armed merchant ships, and presumption that shoot to kill is appropriate. The only good pirate is a dead pirate.
From the same link:
"Tiemessen had forbodings. 'Something bad is going to happen,' he told me two weeks ago by satellite phone, 'The families on these boats are starting to panic and go off in different directions. With the dramatic increase in pirate activity in the Indian Ocean I cannot believe that all 100 yachts can get through unscathed.'"
Did you read the story?
They were just folks who became Christian missionaries who delivered Bibles to remote villages throughout the South Pacific. No, they were NOT “converting muslims” as some will accuse.
Why they entered an international yacht race across the Indian Ocean? For the same reason any sportsman takes on any challenge? Maybe to write a book and/or to gain sponsors to help with expenses of their lives and their mission.
Why they dropped put of the race to head for Oman? Most likely repairs
“Idiot thrill seekers” is a pretty disrespectful reaction to the murders of 4 innocent Americans exercising freeodom of the seas. One might as well blame any crime victim anywhere for being in the wrong place.
Did you read the story?
They were just folks who became Christian missionaries who delivered Bibles to remote villages throughout the South Pacific. No, they were NOT “converting muslims” as some will accuse.
Why they entered an international yacht race across the Indian Ocean? For the same reason any sportsman takes on any challenge? Maybe to write a book and/or to gain sponsors to help with expenses of their lives and their mission.
Why they dropped put of the race to head for Oman? Most likely repairs
“Idiot thrill seekers” is a pretty disrespectful reaction to the murders of 4 innocent Americans exercising freeodom of the seas. One might as well blame any crime victim anywhere for being in the wrong place.
>Theres nothing inherently stupid about sailing in the Indian ocean. Thousands of vessels do it every day.<
Stolnitz, who also travels around the world with his wife via boat, said he and Scott Adam had previously discussed the dangers of piracy when navigating the Arabian and Red seas.
Scott Adam, 70, had considered shipping the boat to avoid the dangers of the trip, a costly option, but decided instead to join a rally of yachts heading to the same location, Stolnitz said.
The couple, however, apparently decided to break off from the Blue Water Rally, which organized and supported the group of boats headed toward the Mediterranean.
Blue Water Rally organizers released a statement on their website Saturday that said the Adams chose to take an independent route from Mumbai to Salalah, Oman, and left the rally on Feb. 15. With them on their boat was another American couple, Phyllis Mackay and Bob Riggle.
http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/20/local/la-me-somali-pirates-20110220
I am one of the few who have sailed those waters. (1975, 40’ Trimaran sloop).
In those days the Singapore straits and Malacca Straits were where the pirates were and I sailed through there I was heavily armed (including LAW missiles).
In these days I think anyone sailing that route (Arabian Sea - Gulf of Aden) is irresponsible at best. For ‘round the world sailors traveling Mauritius- South Africa is the sensible course.
They were participating in the Blue Water Rally, which is an organized traveling group of sailors traveling from one side of the world to the other- kind of like camping caravans except by sea. That means there are dozens and dozens more private yachts out there now- Many of them Americans, maybe planning to put into east Africa or go Round Cape Horn rather than risk the pirates, Red Sea and Suez.
If you are a wannabe cruiser and read “Crusing World” as I do, you read about these voyages all the time, and enjoy them vicariously. Last month’s issue juts had a long article about a yacht that traversed up through the Suez. Not my kind of sailing!
here is the log of the Quest.
http://svquest.com/2011_travels.htm
But who is “We?”
“I think that instead of running and hiding from pirates we should be hunting them down and killing them.”
Okay. You lead the way.
“we,” who are my fellow Americans living within the borders of the U.S.of A., are even too chicken to take care of our
own affairs within our borders in the U.S.A.
In a war against pirates or terrorists the policy must be “take no prisoners”. Even if you take prisoners, they must know that the penalty in all cases is death and the only thing that will save them is if they turn in someone big.
TAKE NO PRISONERS!!!
Yes, I did read the story.
I said “MAYBE”.
I realize they were missionaries, delivering bibles to Christian churches.
I NEVER said they deserved it.
If you read my entire response, you’d see that I said no one but the pirates are to blame.
Phyllis MaCay and Bob Riggle. Murdered by pirates and the depraved indifference of Scott and Jean Adam.
Exactly. Think of the sharks...
Nope. And that answers the prior comment suggesting Americans should not have been in the area. If that were policy, the pirates would get the point.
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