Piracy & Ship Attacks--March 9, 2010
Latest reports on pirates and ship seizures.
• French Navy Captures 35 Pirate Suspects
As one of the most successful missions since EU forces began operations in 2008, dozens of pirate suspects in four mother ships and six smaller vessels were seized in four operations since last Friday.
EU forces used helicopters and fired warning shots during the three-day mission, backed by an Italian vessel and Spanish aircraft as well as the frigate Nivose.
It is not known what France intends to do with the suspects but 22 suspects were captured Friday, two on Saturday and 11 on Sunday.
• Pirates Seize Kenyan Fishing Boat
Somali pirates hijacked a Kenyan-flagged fishing vessel last week, but communication with the owner, operator and crew of the vessel has not been made.
The vessel, MV Sakoba and its 16 crew were captured 400 miles east of the Tanzanian city of Dar es Salaam last Wednesday and was headed to the pirate lair Harardhere. The MV Sakoba's last known registration was in Spain three years ago but the Spanish Environment Ministry informed the vessel was now Kenyan-owned.
Some fear the fishing vessel may now second as a pirate mothership to transport supplies, food, fuel and tow skiffs out to sea. MV Sakoba was following the path of another hijacked ship, a Norwegian chemical tanker. Since implementing heightened patrols in the Gulf of Aden, pirates are now stretching their reach south into the Indian Ocean.
• Spanish Trawler Thwarts Pirate Attack
Private security guards aboard a Spanish trawler fought off a pirate attack in the Indian Ocean using rocket-propelled grenades last Thursday.
The 2,100-tonne fishing vessel, Albacan, owned by Albacora and registered in Cadiz, was fishing between Seychelles and the Kenyan coast when two pirate skiffs approached the vessel.
After firing the rocket-propelled grenade that exploded on the deck of the Albacan, a fire started in the kitchen but was quickly extinguished. The armed, private security on the trawler took evasive action and fired back, causing the pirates to flee.
Spanish government authorized the use of armed guards on vessels and plans to send a navy ship to the region with 100 crew aboard to patrol the Somali ports where pirates depart. In addition to a navy frigate in the Gulf of Aden, Spain also employed maritime patrol planes to help divert further attacks.
• British Couple May Be Released Soon
Somali communities surrounding the East African country are hopeful the retired British couple who were abducted by pirates from their sailboat last year could be released within weeks.
The couple, Paul and Rachel Chandler, were forced off their 38-foot yacht ,Lynn Rival, headed to Tanzania. Pirates forced them onto a skiff and later demanded $7 million for their release, which the British government refuses because they will not pay ransoms to kidnappers.
According to local officials, the Somali communities have been working toward negotiations of the release of the Chandlers and that it would come within two weeks and without condition. Pirates rarely release hostages without ransom payment, however, the deputy speaker of Somali's parliament discourages paying the ransom to deter future hostage abductions.
Presently, the pirates hold over 120 sailors hostage in Somalia.
• Singapore Navy Warns of Pirate Attacks
The Singapore navy released an alert of imminent pirate attacks to tankers and cargo ships transiting the Malacca Strait and warning those to tighten on board security.
From what little information the navy did release from the Information Fusion Center, they believe an unnamed group is planning attacks in the near future within the 600-mile Malacca Strait shared by Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.
As one-third of the world's crude oil passes through the area, pirates attacking ships are not looking to make political statements, rather collecting money and high value goods. A maritime expert in Singapore suggested al-Qaida and its Southeast Asia ally may be the culprits.
The Information Fusion Center coordinates information collected by the Western Pacific Naval Symposium Regional Maritime Information Exchange and the Malacca Strait Patrols' Information System and works in tandem with several other centers.