Piracy & Ship Attacks May 27, 2010
Kidnapped British couple plead for release
Yesterday new video was released of the kidnapped British couple, in which they plea to new British Prime Minister David Cameron to make a public statement on Britain’s position regarding their kidnapping.
Paul and Rachel Chandler were captured by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean 7 months ago and are still being held for ransom. Their captors demanded 7 million from the British government for their release, the British government refused. The British government had a strict policy against paying ransom to hostage takers a policy shared with many other governments.
The couple was interview by a local journalist in a rural location last week, while pirates stood behind the camera during the interview. Paul and Rachel appeared very thin and encouraged the media to stop calling this piracy, they say what has happened is kidnapping, extortion and torture.
The couple say they are treated like animals, they are kept caged up like animals most of the 210 days of their captivity. Paul Chandler said that 97 of the 210 days have been spent in solitary confinement. There have been some instances of violence, Rachel was hit in the face with the butt of a rifle, chipping her tooth and they both have been whipped.
The Chandlers are desperately plea for the new Prime Minister’s help. The kidnappers demanded a $7 million ransom from the former British Government and Paul noted during the interview that the ‘gangsters’ are hopeful of securing a ransom with the new government.
EU NAVFOR Continues to successfully disrupt piracy
EU NAVFOR warship HNLMS JOHAN DE WITT has effectively blocked a known pirate camp from accessing waters. Pirate access to the sea
Under order from the Swedish EU NAVFOR, the warship was positioned near the central Somali coast to monitor and intercede pirate activity. The warship has been an excellent deterrent.
Tuesday May 25, a helicopter from the EU NAVFOR warship FS NIVOSE was launched against a pirate skiff. The helicopter led to the disruption of a pirate attack against the merchant vessel NORDNEPTUNE off Zanzibar.
The French warship responded immediately to a distress signal from Nordneptune, a tanker, which indicated she was under small arms attack from a pirate vessel. The quick response helped evade an attack.
However, within an hour, the Nordneptune was under another more serious attack by two pirate skiffs. The FS Nivôse closed in and launched her helicopter. On arrival, the helicopter fired warning shots and both skiffs gave up their attack and moved into Tanzanian territorial waters where the Tanzanian Coast Guard was alerted to continue the pursuit.
Trial in Netherlands begins for 5 Somali Pirates
The trail for five suspected Somali Pirates began Tuesday in the Netherlands, thought to be the first trying of pirates in Europe.
The men face sentences of 9 to 12 years if convicted of ‘sea robbery.’ The men are Ahmed Yusuf Farah, 25, Jama Mohamed Samatar, 45, Abdirisaq Abdulahi Hirsi, 33, Sayid Ali Garaar, 39, and Osman Musse Farah, 32.
The pirates were captured in January 2009 by the Dutch Navy after attacking a Dutch Antilles flagged cargo ship. The pirates skiff was destroyed and they were held on the Dutch Navy ship for 4 weeks before being turned over to Dutch Authorities.