Another Grim Week For PIRATE ATTACKS!

After the recent spate of attacks settled weather this month seems to enable the pirate gangs to roam further from their home bases in Somalia and making it more difficult for the Somalia patrols to detect them, according to the following article.Yet another pirate attack yesterday early in the morning completed a miserable week for freight shipping through the Gulf of Aden and surrounding seas. They're finding it too easy.
     . . . June

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Another Pirate Attack On A Tanker In A Grim Week
Latest industry shipping news from the Handy Shipping Guide

EAST AFRICA – Yet another pirate attack yesterday early on the morning of the 30th October completed a miserable week for freight shipping through the Gulf of Aden and surrounding seas. The Liberian owned and Panamanian flagged MV Polar, a 72,000 dwt tanker was taken control of by an armed gang who now appear to be in control of the ship.

The seizure occurred around 600 miles East of the Yemeni island of Socotra and there is no firm news so far of the crew of twenty four, a mixture of Philippine, Montenegrin, Greek and Romanian citizens.


As we reported after the recent spate of attacks settled weather this month seems to enable the pirate gangs to roam further from their home bases in Somalia and making it more difficult for the EU NAVFOR Somalia patrols to detect and apprehend them.


Read entire article


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Pirates KILL CAPTAIN But Don't Hijack Ship?

 This story seems a bit confusing. Pirates apparently killed the captain of a ship, but didn't try to hijack it? According ro the article below, the pirate attack occurred early in the morning at about 3am in international waters when the ship was returning to the UAE from Iran carrying petroleum products, but there was no attempt to hijack the vessel. Does that seems suspicious?
    . . . June


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Gulf pirates killed captain but didn't hijack ship
Emirates24|7:

The body of the Sri Lankan captain killed aboard the UAE based tanker Ocean Trite will be released on Wednesday, said the owner of the vessel.

“Nine crew members, who are in police custody for interrogation will also be released today,” said Syed Hassan, the owner of Alco Shipping that owns the vessel.

Speaking to Emirates 24|7 last evening, Hassan said that the remaining crewmen are being released, “because the police have established it as a pirate attack.”

Sunil Dharmaratne was captaining the vessel Ocean Trite along with seven other Sri Lankans and two Indian nationals.

“The pirate attack occurred early in the morning at about 3am in international waters when the ship was returning to the UAE from Iran carrying petroleum products,” he added. According to sources there was no attempt to hijack the vessel.

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Mexican Pirates Attack Couple at Texas - Mexican Border

 It's bad enough that pirates are attacking ships off the Somali Coast, but now they're attacking tourists on the Mexican border. That's just too close to home. According to the article below, a young couple who were sightseeing and jet-skiing on Falcon Lake in Texas yesterday were reportedly attacked by Mexican pirates. The husband, David Michael Hartley, was shot in the head, but his wife Tiffany escaped. This is just too frightening
   . . . June

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Mexican Pirates Attack Sightseeing Couple at Texas Falcon Lake — Husband Shot in Head, Feared to Have Been Killed Frugal Caf Blog Zone:

Mexican drug cartel lawlessness has again struck America. A young couple who were sightseeing and jet-skiing on Falcon Lake in Texas yesterday were reportedly attacked by Mexican pirates. The husband, David Michael Hartley, was shot in the head, but his wife Tiffany escaped. A search is being conducted to find Hartley, but he is feared to have been killed. Armed gunmen reportedly chased after the woman, and may have driven their boats into U.S. waters briefly while trying to run down Tiffany Hartley.

This isn’t the first time that Mexican pirates, believed to be linked to drug cartels, have attacked and/or robbed Americans in the border lake of Lake Falcon. However, this may be the first time that the recent attacks have resulted in an American being killed. Back in May, terrorism of American boaters and fishermen prompted warnings to be issued for Americans to not cross the lake’s border into Mexico. But one armed Mexican pirate attack in May occurred on the US side of the border.
However, according to the claims of Homeland Security’s top dog, Janet Napolitano, the southern US borders are safer than ever. Dream on, JaNo…


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Another Freighter Seized By Pirates Off Tanzanian Coast

Pirates continue to attack ships, this time off the Tasmanian coast. According to the article below, this attack follows three previous attacks this week on freight vessels off the Tanzanian coastline. There are no reports of any contact with the vessel since she altered course early this afternoon. With the seasonal increase in pirate raids, vessel owners and operators are warned by the authorities to be extra vigilant and take all possible precautions against attack. I hope they're OK
   . . . June


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Pirates Seize Another Freighter Off Somalia
Latest industry shipping news from the Handy Shipping Guide:

SOMALIA – In yet another pirate attack, the most southerly reported this year so far in the region, a UAE owned tanker was seized around 100 miles South of Dar es Salaam after unloading its cargo of bitumen at Mombasa in Kenya. The attack follows three previous attacks this week on freight vessels off the Tanzanian coastline.

The vessel was once again Panamanian flagged and was manned by an all Indian crew of 15 according to local reports. We have had no word so far from the vessels owners Bitumen Invest. The ship is the MT Asphalt Venture an asphalt carrier en route to Durban when radar observation showed her turn suddenly and set a course for Xaradheere, about 300 miles north of Mogadishu on the Somali coast.

We have no reports of any contact with the vessel at this time since she altered course early this afternoon. With the seasonal increase in pirate raids, vessel owners and operators are warned by the authorities to be extra vigilant and take all possible precautions against attack.

Read entire article

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Can Pirates Be Defeated by 'Panic Room' Or Blocking Controls?

 According to the article below Owners of Spanish vessels fishing in Somali waters have proposed installing hermetically sealed rooms to protect the crew in case of an attempted hijacking by pirates. These will be connected with Atalanta forces, which fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean. This is a similar tactic used by the Greek cargo ship which was boarded by pirates earlier this week. The crew of this ship locked themselves in the engine room and blocked controls. The pirates gave up after failing to gain control. Good stuff!
    . . . June

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'Panic room' creates new way to fend off pirates:
FIS - Worldnews Wednesday, September 29, 2010, 03:30

Owners of Spanish tuna vessels fishing in Somali waters have proposed installing hermetically sealed rooms to protect the crew in case of an attempted hijacking by pirates.

The pilot project is to build 'panic rooms' which will be connected with Atalanta forces, which fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean.

The initiative provides that once you are alerted about the attack, the protocol is activated, the military intervene quickly, overpower the pirates and free the kidnapped fishermen.

For now, the owners of the vessels have been granted approval by the Ministry of Defence of Spain to launch the self-protection project.

Specifically, the defense minister, Carme Chacon, called the proposal 'very positive', reports Diario Montanes.

While it is impossible to guarantee total safety, the construction of hermetically sealed rooms would abort a potential pirate attack 'which private security could not do,' said the minister.

Chacon also said that the preventive measures imposed against pirate attacks have been successful so far, and early warning systems that connect tuna vessels with the Atalanta controls have been effective.

Owners who met with Chacon thanked the "full readiness" of the government to prevent piracy.

Currently, there are 30 tuna vessels fishing in the Indian Ocean, of which, 13 fly the Spanish flag and all have private security.

Spanish fleets have invested EUR 1 million in security: half of which is paid by the boat owners and the rest is covered by the government.

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Ukrainian Crew Members Foil Somali Pirates

Ship's crews are getting more creative about taking care of their ships against pirates.According to the following article, the crew of this ship locked themselves in the engine room and blocked controls, the Ukrainian government said. The pirates gave up after failing to gain control.
    . . . June

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AFP: Crew foils Somali pirates:

KIEV — Pirates who hijacked a Greek-operated cargo off Somalia finally let it go because the Ukrainian crew members prevented them from taking over command, the Ukrainian government said on Monday.

The foreign ministry in Kiev said the pirates had given up after failing to take control of the MG Lugela because the 12 crew had locked themselves in the engine room and blocked the helm and other controls.

'In line with a prepared plan, the crew shut themselves in the engine room with sufficient food and water,' the ministry said. 'Keeping command of the controls, they did not allow the pirates to change course for the Somali coast.'

'After two days aboard an uncontrollable ship, the pirates finally gave up and abandoned it.'

George Tripakis, managing director of TDM Carrier, the Athens-based operator of the Lugela, said earlier that the captain had contacted the company late Sunday.

"He informed us that everybody is OK, alive, the pirates not on board, and the vessel is proceeding to Bombay (Mumbai, India)."

Pirates attacked the vessel on Saturday some 900 nautical miles off the coast of Somalia, after it left the Gulf of Aden, the Brussels-based the European Union NAVFOR command said.

The ship had left the Egyptian port of Alexandria and was heading to Mauritius carrying steel bars and cable, the owners said. Following its release it was ordered to change course for Mumbai to undergo an examination.

"We would like to check the vessel" in the Indian port, Tripakis said, though he did not know if the ship had been damaged.

Read entire article . . . 

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Is The West Wasting Money On ANTI-PIRACY SHIPS?

According to the article below, Kenya's foreign minister said Saturday the millions being spent to fight pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia should be spent instead on helping the country become a functioning state. He said that nobody is stepping up to help with much needed money and equipment to support the restoration of law and order. 
"Piracy is not born at sea. It's born on land', he said. He may well be right.
   . . . June


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Kenya says West wasting money on anti-piracy ships
Yahoo! News:

UNITED NATIONS – Kenya's foreign minister said Saturday the millions being spent to fight pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia should be spent instead on helping the country become a functioning state.

Moses Wetangula said in an interview with The Associated Press that Uganda has offered troops to expand the African Union force in Somalia from 7,100 to 20,000 to support the restoration of law and order.

But he said that nobody is stepping up to help with much needed money and equipment.

"Piracy is not born at sea. It's born on land. And if you are able to patrol and protect your coastline, it's unlikely that pirates will find a way to the high seas to cause the menace," Wetangula said. "Instead, what are we seeing? 52 warships patroling ... the waters of the Indian Ocean, but piracy is still going on."

Wetangula said the flotilla should be disbanded and the money should be used instead to help Somalia "become a state."

He warned that neglecting Somalia amid increasing attacks from militants and Jihadists trying to overthrow the weak U.N.-backed transitional government "may end up being a tragedy that would vibrate far and wide."

Somalia has not had an effective government since 1991 when warlords overthrew longtime dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned on each other, plunging the country into chaos. African Union peacekeepers have struggled to protect the small enclave in the capital, Mogadishu, where the Somali government operates.

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