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Thagarr's Pirate News!

<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0e/Bay_of_Bengal_map.png/588px-Bay_of_Bengal_map.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Six Fishermen Hospitalized, Six Missing After Pirate Attack</b>

10/14/2008

Six fishermen from Sittwe have been hospitalized while another six are missing after pirates attacked their fishing boats in the Bay of Bengal near the border with Bangladesh, said one fishing boat owner.

He said, "Six fishermen have been hospitalized in the Sittwe general hospital, one of them is critically injured, and six fishermen have been missing along with the fishing boat."

Fishing boat owner Soe Than Naing from Kyaw Daw fishing village in Sittwe was seriously injured in the attack and remains in critical condition.

According to a local source, the incident took place on Saturday while the men were fishing with five boats on the sea near Kyauk Pan Du Village near Maungdaw, on the western border of Burma.

A group of pirates from Bangladesh approached the fishermen in a speed boat and looted all of their property, including their fuel and fishing nets.

When fishermen near by saw what was occurring, they attempted to flee in their boats, but the pirates opened fire on them with hand-made machine guns. Many fishermen were injured in the attack, and six of them were hospitalized when they reached Sittwe.

"A fishing boat was still missing along with six other fishermen after the incident took place. We are anxious about them and we filed a case at the police station in Sittwe yesterday," he said.

Pirates in Bangladesh typically collect tolls from Bangladesh fishing boats and commit robberies in Bangladesh waters, but haven't before encroached on Burmese waters to attack Burmese fishing boats.

The fisherman said, "We hope the authority will take action on the case and will carry out proper security for Burmese fishing boats at sea."<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=1932" target="_blank">http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=1932</a>
 
... as in carved out o' wood? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="xD:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />
 
<!--quoteo(post=284741:date=Oct 14 2008, 10:12 PM:name=Fred Bob)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Fred Bob @ Oct 14 2008, 10:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=284741"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->... as in carved out o' wood? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="xD:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Maybe they carved their own bullets too, this Somali lot should take notes! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="xD:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>
Somalis storm pirate-held vessel</b>

Security forces in northern Somalia have stormed a Panamanian-registered cargo ship that was seized by pirates last week, rescuing the crew unharmed.

Officials in the semi-autonomous Puntland region said local forces boarded the vessel after a gunfight in which two soldiers were wounded.

Ten gunmen on board surrendered after running out of ammunition.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian vessel carrying 33 tanks is still being held by pirates demanding a $20m (£11m) ransom.

Earlier, the pirates said they would blow up the MV Faina unless the money was paid by Monday night.

A pirate spokesman later said the deadline may be extended following requests from the ship's owner and other officials.

Risky

Last Thursday, heavily armed pirates raided and seized control of the container ship, the Awail, carrying cement from Oman to Bossasso, the capital of Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

Two days ago, Puntland security forces tried to board the ship.

But they did not succeed and one of their men and one pirate were killed.

On Tuesday they tried again. This time they managed to board the ship when the pirates ran out of ammunition.

According to officials from Puntland, none of the crew - nine Syrians and two Somalis - were injured.

The BBC's Peter Greste in neighbouring Kenya says retaking a hijacked ship is notoriously risky for both the vessel and the captive crew.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Rest of the story here :
<a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7670163.stm" target="_blank">http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7670163.stm</a>
 
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>DFA: Ship with 21 Filipinos seized</b>

By Veronica Uy
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 16:11:00 10/16/2008


MANILA, Philippines -- (UPDATE) The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Thursday confirmed the hijacking of another ship, this one with 21 Filipino seamen, by Somali pirates.

This brings up to 66 the number of Filipino seamen held hostage by Somali pirates.

In a text message quoting reports from the Philippine embassy in Nairobi, DFA Undersecretary Esteban Conejos Jr. confirmed the M/V African Sanderling, a Panama-flagged, Japan-operated, and Korea-owned bulk carrier was hijacked Wednesday.

He said he has instructed the Philippine embassies in Seoul, Tokyo, and Nairobi to coordinate with the ship owners and operators and with international maritime authorities on efforts to secure the early and safe release of the crew members.

Since April 20 this year, 12 ships, including the African Sanderling, with 141 Filipino seamen, were hijacked in the waters off Somalia, particularly in the Gulf of Aden.

At an earlier interview with Conejos this morning, he said the Philippines supports international efforts to secure the region.

These efforts include the United Nations Security Council resolution in July which allowed military ships into the waters of Somalia to stop piracy in the region.

Conejos said the mandate, which will end in December, may be extended to include ships from Greece and The Netherlands.

He said international cooperation is needed to stop the piracy as Somalia has 3,000 miles of shore and the African country remains unstable, with no central government.

Conejos said the pirates appear to initially bring a hijacked ship to the port in Eyl village, northeast of Somalia. When a new ship is hijacked, the pirates move the first ship to another port.

"This goes on like a relay every time there's a new hijacked ship. The ships are distributed in different ports," he said.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Original story here :
<a href="http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view/20081016-166708/DFA-Ship-with-21-Filipinos-seized" target="_blank">http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/brea...ilipinos-seized</a>




<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>SOMALIA PIRACY UPDATE 15 OCT 2008</b>

The use of mother-ships seems to be on the rise, and potentially, vessels are hijacked with the sole intention of using them as such.

During the past week there have been 7 new incidents including 2 hijacks.
9 Vessels are now being held by Somali pirates for ransom. Last known positions are as shown on the slide.

Thailand-flagged Bulk Carrier MV FONARUN NAREE was involved in an approach by pirates on 7 Sept.

Singapore-flagged LPG Carrier MV SIGLOO DISCOVERY reports that she received multiple attacks from pirates on 6 Sept, though her position at the time of the attack was not reported.

Bahamas-flagged Crude oil tanker MV FRONT VOYAGER reports she was attacked by pirates on 6 Sept.

St Vincent and Grenadines-flagged General Cargo vessel MV JIN YUAN MEN was attacked by pirates on 5 Sept. Panamanian-flagged General cargo vessel AL MASOURAH was hijacked in northern GoA 3 Sept, 17 miles south of Yemeni coast. She was last located IVO Caluula.. There are 25 crew members on board, and 10-12 hijackers.

Private yacht, Carre D’AS IV was hijacked by pirates, 2 Sept. Vessel departed Cocos Islands, 5 Aug, on route Aden with 3 crew, (2 French national and 1 Australian national) on board.

On 29 Aug, Chemical/Products tanker, MV BUNGA MELATI 5 was hijacked in northern Gulf of Aden while on route from, Yanbo Saudi Arabia to Singapore.



In short, the trends in latest piracy incidents are as follows:

* Targeting larger cargo / oil / gas / chemical tankers
* Approaches / attacks conducted from 2-3 small speedboats with 3-5 armed persons each. The number of boats involved in each incident seems to be increasing.
* Ninety-three piracy-related incidents have been reported so far this year in the Gulf of Aden (GOA) and off the east coast of Somalia
* Compares to three incidents over same period last year<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

<img src="http://xs432.xs.to/xs432/08425/081015-unclass_piracy-ns281.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />
NATO Shipping Centre :
<a href="http://www.shipping.nato.int/" target="_blank">http://www.shipping.nato.int/</a>
 
It's been kinda slow this week piratical wise mateys, but I did manage to dig up a little tale about those Nigerian pirates! It seems regular boats weren't good enough for this lot, they tried using flying boats for a quick get away! It half worked... <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":shrug" border="0" alt="dunno.gif" />

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Pirate attack in Cameroon</b>
AFP Published:Oct 19, 2008

YAOUNDE - Pirates attacked a trawler in the Bakassi peninsula on Saturday, close to the Nigerian border, Cameroonian authorities said.

"At about 11:30am (1030 GMT) close to Jabane, close to Bakassi island, a trawler was attacked by two flying boats in Cameroonian territorial water," the defence ministry said in a statement.

Cameroonian forces stationed in Jabane "reacted by chasing down the attackers," successfully taking down one of the aircraft, while another managed to cross over into Nigeria, the statement said.

The attack comes two months after Nigeria handed over the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon to end a 15-year dispute over a territory believed to be rich in oil and gas.

Several incidents have taken place since then and Cameroonian soldiers are now patrolling the peninsula.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=866390" target="_blank">http://www.thetimes.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=866390</a>
 
Morgan, it doesn't say exactly what make or model of flying boats they were using, but I am pretty sure they meant these kind.

<img src="http://www.seawings.co.uk/images/seabee/cb8.jpeg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<a href="http://www.seawings.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.seawings.co.uk/</a>
 
<img src="http://img2.tfd.com/wiki/3/3d/800px-LocationCameroon.svg.png" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Cameroon: More Trouble in Bakassi - One Pirate Killed, Several Wounded</b>

The Post (Buea)
20 October 2008
Posted to the web 20 October 2008

Ernest Sumelong

One pirate was reportedly killed and others wounded Saturday, October 18, in a fire exchange between Cameroonian soldiers and pirates in the now unstable Bakassi Peninsula.

The Post learnt that five assailants, said to be Niger Delta rebels, in two speed boats, opened fire on Cameroonian soldiers at a fishing port called Jabane by 11 am, Saturday, October 18.

According to a military source in Bakassi, some five assailants in two speed boats attacked a fishing boat on the Cameroonian territorial waters in a boundary area between Cameroon and Bakassi before Cameroonian soldiers pushed back the rebels shooting three out of the five assailants.

"After the assailants attacked, Cameroonian soldiers mobilised and pushed back the incursions, shooting three of the five assailants. Two of them in the other boat succeeded to get to the other side of the sea to the Nigerian side and it is difficult to tell whether the others survived because we could not go near," he said.

According to a communiqué signed by Cameroon's Minister of Defense, Remy Ze Meka, the assailants who were on board two speed boats attacked and wounded some of the Cameroonian soldiers. The communiqué states that the Cameroonian soldiers reacted by pursuing the assailants who fled towards Nigeria.

This is the first major attack in the Bakassi area after the Nigerian government finally ceded the entire Peninsular to Cameroon on August 14. Before and after August 14, rebel groups that opposed the handover had promised they would continue to fight for the area.

Recently, Cameroonian soldiers captured 11 supposed pirates in the Bakassi area and brought them to the Gendarmerie Brigade in Buea, where they were behind closed doors and later taken to an unknown destination. The pirates were arrested just two weeks following pirates attack on Limbe and the robbery of banks, which resulted in the death of two people.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original Story here :
<a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/200810201619.html" target="_blank">http://allafrica.com/stories/200810201619.html</a>
 
Well ...this one here seemed to be over almost as quickly as it started...

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Pirates Seize Indian Vessel Off Somalia</b>
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia , Oct. 21, 2008 (AP) Armed pirates in speedboats have hijacked an Indian dhow with 13 crew members off the northern coast of Somalia, a maritime official said Tuesday.

The cargo-laden vessel was en route to Somalia from Asia when it was seized over the weekend, said Noel Choong, head of the International Maritime Bureau's piracy reporting center in Kuala Lumpur.

The bureau only received a distress report from a third party on Monday and is still verifying the time and date of the attack, he said. No further details were immediately available.

The attack comes despite increased international cooperation to crack down on pirates in the African waters.

"It shows that the momentum is still there, the attacks are still continuing in this key shipping route," Choong said, adding that the bureau has issued a warning for ships to maintain a strict watch to thwart the bandits.

The hijacking pushed the number of attacks this year in the African waters to 74. A total of 30 ships have been hijacked, and 10 remain in the hands of pirates along with nearly 200 crew members, Choong said.

Momentum has been growing for coordinated international action following the Sept. 25 hijacking of the Ukrainian ship MV Faina, which was carrying tanks and other heavy weaponry.

NATO has sent warships to the area to help U.S. navy vessels already patrolling the region. India also announced it will send warships to the area, and several European countries have said they would launch an anti-piracy patrol.

Some naval commanders are also suggesting shipping companies hire private security firms to counter possible hijackings.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Rest of the story here :
<a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/21/world/main4535303.shtml" target="_blank">http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/21/...in4535303.shtml</a>

And then this...
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Crew freed from pirate-seized Indian vessel</b>
Last Updated: Tuesday, October 21, 2008 | 9:27 AM ET
CBC News

The crew of an Indian cargo vessel that was hijacked by Somali pirates has been freed by freelance coast guards following a gun battle, officials said Tuesday.

The vessel, which was carrying a 13-member crew, was en route to Somalia from Asia when it was seized by pirates in speedboats on the weekend, said Noel Choong, spokesman for the International Maritime Bureau.

Four of the pirates were captured during the shootout while another four escaped, said Ali Abdi Aware, the Foreign Minister of Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland.

No crew members were wounded.

Somalia does not have a formal coast guard and clan-based militias sometimes conduct the duties on a freelance basis for local authorities.

A distress call regarding the captured vessel was only received from the vessel on Monday, Choong said.

There have been 74 pirate attacks in Somali waters so far this year.

"It shows that the momentum is still there, the attacks are still continuing in this key shipping route," Choong said, adding that the bureau has issued a warning for ships to maintain a strict watch.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Rest of the story here :
<a href="http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/10/21/somalia-pirates.html" target="_blank">http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2008/10/21/s...ia-pirates.html</a>
 
The French Navy strikes another blow!

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Pirates held in French raid</b>

NAIROBI: Tensions heated up on the high seas, as the French Navy captured nine pirates near the Gulf of Aden and a Somali pirate warned yesterday that the crew of a hijacked Ukrainian arms ship would be killed if Nato forces attacked.

The French Navy intercepted the pirates in two small boats 185km from the nearest coast, finding assault rifles, grenade-launchers, grappling hooks and ladders onboard.

The nine were handed over to Somali officials, and French officials received assurances the prisoners would be treated according to international conventions.

"We wanted to send a very clear message to the pirates that the days of their flourishing and unpunished business are over," French Defence Ministry said.

They found small arms and anti-tank weapons and equipment used to board ships on the vessels, said a ministry statement.

Pirate attacks off the coast of Somalia this year have surged 75 per cent, the International Maritime Bureau said.

French naval staff, who have been the most active in pursuing pirates among various international patrols in the region, handed the men over in handcuffs on the dock of Bosasso port in the northern province of Puntland.

"These pirates had two armed speedboats and wanted to hijack ships off Somalia waters. The French burnt the pirates' boats and then contacted us," Abdulqadir Muse Yusuf, Puntland's assistant minister for fisheries, said.

Dozens of captures have brought millions of dollars of ransom payments for the pirates, hiked shipping insurance costs, and threatening aid shipments.

The French have led the way, with commandos seizing a dozen pirates in two previous raids to free boats and hostages.

Paris and Washington both have military bases in the area, while the EU and Nato are sending ships.

"Somalia is on a knife edge right now, and these food supplies are keeping hundreds of thousands away from death's door," World Food Programme Somalia director Peter Goossens said.

War, drought and soaring food prices have created a humanitarian crisis that aid workers say is one of the world's worst and most neglected. At least a million Somalis are living as internal refugees.

Since international escorts began late last year, ships from France, Denmark, the Netherlands and Canada have secured the safe arrival of 145,000 tonnes of food in Somalia.

Nato warships are set to start patrolling off the coast of Somalia in the next few days.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?Article=232672&Sn=WORL&IssueID=31218" target="_blank">http://www.gulf-daily-news.com/Story.asp?A...p;IssueID=31218</a>
 
Blackwater is stepping in to get there piece of the pirate pie!

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Blackwater Floats Private Navy To Fight Pirates</b>
William Pentland 10.23.08, 2:16 PM ET
In September, Somali pirates captured a Ukrainian ship bound for Kenya that had a cargo of 33 T-72 tanks and other military equipment. Despite the presence of a number of U.S. Naval vessels, the pirates have refused to return the ship until they receive a $35 million ransom.

The brazen assault made headlines around the world, but it was simply the highest-profile attack in the region of late. More than 70 shipping vessels have been attacked off the coast of Somalia in the past year. Eleven of those ships and 200 crew members are still being held for ransom by rogue Somali pirates.

Foreign navies have begun patrolling the Gulf of Aden to rein in the pirate gangs off the coast of northern Somalia, but they have had only limited success. As a result, ship owners have seen insurance premiums for coverage of passage through the Straits of Aden climb from an average of $900 to $9,000.

In Pictures: The World's Most Dangerous Waters

It's bad news for shippers, but an opportunity for Blackwater Worldwide, the North Carolina-based private military contractor. Last week, the company announced plans to dispatch the MV MacArthur, a 183-foot vessel with a crew of 14 and a helicopter pad, to the Gulf of Aden to provide escort services for ships in need of security.

"Billions of dollars of goods move through the Gulf of Aden each year," said Bill Matthews, executive vice president of Blackwater Worldwide, in a press release. "We have been contacted by ship owners who say they need our help in making sure those goods get to their destination safely. The McArthur can help us accomplish that."

The mercenary outfit--founded by former Navy SEALs in 1997 and heavily involved in U.S. military efforts in Iraq--has tentative plans to build a small fleet of two or three anti-piracy vessels, each able to carry several dozen armed security personnel, according to reports in Lloyds List Maritime. Although the Blackwater vessels will not be armed, the crew will be. Unlike official military personnel, they may have fewer qualms about using those arms against pirates.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/23/blackwater-pirates-somalia-biz-logistics-cx_wp_1023blackwater.html" target="_blank">http://www.forbes.com/2008/10/23/blackwate...blackwater.html</a>
 
Who needs security? Just hit em with fire hoses!

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Ships repel five pirate attacks off Somalia in a single day</b>

(CNN) -- Five attempts to hijack ships off the coast of Somalia were thwarted Tuesday by the ships' crews, the U.S.-led coalition that monitors the region said Wednesday.

"Even when shots were fired during two of these attacks, the crews of commercial shipping vessels conducted evasive maneuvering and used fire hoses to repel their attackers," the Combined Maritime Forces said in a news release.

Even in a region plagued by piracy, five hijacking attempts in one day may be a record.

More than 60 ships have been attacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden this year, compared with about half that many in all of 2007, according to a report released this month by Chatham House, an institute in London, England, that analyzes international affairs.

The report found the $18 million to $30 million in ransom already paid this year for pirated ships is helping to finance the civil war in Somalia.

Al-Shabaab, an Islamic militant group that is waging a bloody battle for control of Somalia, is reported to be among groups receiving ransom money from pirates.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/10/29/somalia.pirates/" target="_blank">http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/1...omalia.pirates/</a>
 
Seems, Thagarr, dat a lot o' fun could be had wid a flare gun in addition tew de stan'ard far hose! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_mrgreen1.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":cheeky" border="0" alt="icon_mrgreen1.gif" />
 
Flare guns were just made for having fun Fred Bob! Smoke bombs seem to work just as well! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="xD:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

Looks like it was a busy day on the high seas around the Horn of Africa! The French strike again, capturing even more pirates!

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Thursday October 30, 2008
<b>French nab nine Somali pirates in Gulf of Aden</b>

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) - Tensions heated up on the high seas, as the French Navy captured nine pirates near the Gulf of Aden and a Somali pirate warned Thursday that the crew of a hijacked Ukrainian arms ship would be killed if NATO forces attacked.

The French Navy intercepted the pirates in two small boats about 115 miles (185 kilometers) from the nearest coast, finding assault rifles, grenade-launchers, grappling hooks and ladders onboard.

The nine were handed over Thursday to Somali officials, and French officials received assurances the prisoners would be treated according to international conventions.

"We wanted to send a very clear message to the pirates that the days of their flourishing and unpunished business are over,'' Gen. Christian Baptiste, a French Defense Ministry spokesman, told The Associated Press by telephone.

In order not to tip off any other pirates, he declined to say exactly when or where the hostages were captured.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Rest of the story here :
<a href="http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/10/30/apworld/20081030101444&sec=apworld" target="_blank">http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=...amp;sec=apworld</a>

And Spain has decided they want a little piece of the action too!

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Spain foils pirates' plans</b>
29/10/2008 16:33 - (SA)

Madrid - A Spanish maritime patrol aircraft prevented pirates from attacking an oil tanker in the troubled waters of the Gulf of Aden, the defence ministry said on Wednesday.

The P-3 Orion aircraft received a call for help from the crew of the Panama-flagged Leander on Tuesday who said pirates on two boats were trying to board their vessel when it was about 210km north of the coast of Somalia, it said.

"To deter the pirates, the plane flew over the hostile boats three times and <b>launched a smoke bomb at them</b> each time," the statement said.

"After the third launch, the crew of the P-3 noticed that the boats gave up their attempt to board and separated themselves from the oil tanker," it added.

The aircraft was on a routine patrol of the area when it received the call for help.

Spain dispatched the aircraft and a crew of 90 soldiers to Djibouti last month to collect information on the movement of pirate ships in the area as part of European Union efforts to boost security there.

The waters off Somalia, including the Gulf of Aden, are the world's most dangerous, accounting for 63 of the 199 reported pirate attacks worldwide so far this year, the International Maritime Bureau said last week.

A fleet of 30 Spanish tuna trawlers operates in the waters near Somalia.

In April, the 26 crew members of the Spanish fishing vessel Playa de Bakio were released after being held for six days.

The government has not confirmed reports that the pirates were paid a ransom of $1.2m.

- AFP<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0,,2-11-1447_2417932,00.html" target="_blank">http://www.news24.com/News24/Africa/News/0...2417932,00.html</a>
 
Guess this Turkish lot didn't get to the fire hoses in time ...

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>Turkish ship hijacked off Somalia</b>
The Associated Press
Published: October 30, 2008

ANKARA, Turkey: Pirates have hijacked a Turkish ship with 20 crew members off the coast of Somalia, officials said Thursday.

The M/V Yasa Neslihan freighter was boarded in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, the International Maritime Bureau in Malaysia said, confirming news reports in Turkey.

Noel Choong, a bureau official, said pirates also attempted to hijack an Italian-operated general cargo ship with 26 crew on Tuesday in the same area but that it managed to escape with unspecified aggressive maneuvers.

"Pirate attacks are still continuing in the region, despite additional security measures. It is worrying," Choong told The Associated Press.

Turkey's state-run Anatolia news agency said the Yasa Neslihan — which is registered in the Marshall Islands but managed and operated in Turkey — was carrying iron ore from Canada to China.

Turkey asked NATO forces to help end the hijacking off Somalia, an area where pirates often attack ships, Anatolia said.

NATO sent three ships over the weekend into the Gulf of Aden — one of the world's busiest shipping lanes — for anti-piracy patrols and to escort cargo vessels. Several U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet warships also have also been deployed off the Horn of Africa.

The Yasa Neslihan crisis raised the number of attacks on ships in the African waters this year to 77. Thirty-one ships have been hijacked, and 10 remain in the hands of pirates along with nearly 200 crew members, Choong said.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Rest of the story here :
<a href="http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/30/news/Piracy.php" target="_blank">http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/10/30/news/Piracy.php</a>
 
It's a great time to be a pirate! The United Nations has been an utter failure in my opinion, and this just goes to proves it. The EU is setting it's self up for the same failure. It seems there is only one nation out there with any kind of backbone to do anything about it. I have never been a big fan of France, but the past few weeks they have sure gained a lot of respect in my book!

<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--><b>
Pirates protected from EU task force by human rights</b>
A new EU naval task force will be unable to take tough action against Somali pirates because it must respect their human rights, its commander has admitted.


By Justin Stares in Brussels
Last Updated: 7:43PM GMT 01 Nov 2008

The pirates of old at least knew where they stood if captured - they would be jailed and hung, or possibly made to walk the plank.

But those policing the high seas today have no such potent sanctions to impose on 21st century buccanneers, as the human rights of the successors to Blackbeard and Captain Kidd are being put first.

The European Union's first naval task force is due to arrive next month in the Gulf of Aden to combat the region's unprecedented piracy scourge, which is being fuelled by the demand for cash and weapons in lawless Somalia. Ten EU countries, including Britain, have pledged support for the force - yet they may find it difficult even to make an arrest.

"In the old days, when the navy would catch a pirate, they would tie his hands and feet and throw him back in the sea," said Captain Andres Breijo, the Spanish head of the new anti-piracy mission, in an interview with The Sunday Telegraph. "Now they have human rights."

Somalia is a "failed state", Capt Beijo added, and the West fears that if the pirates were handed over to the Somali authorities they would be tortured or executed.

Instead, his task force will only be permitted to keep a protective watch over merchant ships in the pirate-infested waters, which punctuate one of the world's most important trade routes between the Indian Ocean and the Suez Canal. Despite the presence of the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, and Royal Navy vessels also in the vicinity, dozens of ships have been hijacked this year, including a Ukrainian vessel carrying battle tanks and World Food Programme vessels delivering humanitarian aid to the heavily armed pirates' war-torn homeland.

Capt Breijo was reflecting the frustration felt by Europe's admiralty due to their restrictive rules of engagement. Modern European navies are now so mindful of the legal loopholes they face in tackling pirates that they often instruct commanders to simply let them go.

After deciding pirates would not be successfully prosecuted if brought back to Europe, the Danish navy set free a crew of ten in September, dropping them off on a Somali beach after holding them for six days. The Royal Navy admits, unofficially, that it is under similar instructions.

"What can you do?" said Capt Breijo. "They don't belong to any nation."<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Original story here :
<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/somalia/3363258/Pirates-protected-from-EU-task-force-by-human-rights.html" target="_blank">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/...man-rights.html</a>

So ...they are going to mount a multimillion dollar task force just to observe these pirates in action and make sure there human rights aren't violated? There is only one answer to stop piracy...
<img src="http://xs433.xs.to/xs433/08446/fighting0045653.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />
 
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mybad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":facepalm" border="0" alt="mybad.gif" />
 
<img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pirate3.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p2" border="0" alt="pirate3.gif" />
 
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