Somali Pirates: Did China Rescue Hijacked Ship and Crew?

Unconfirmed report from AFP "China says ship, crew hijacked off Somalia in June rescued":

A Singapore-flagged cargo ship with 19 Chinese crew that was hijacked in June by pirates off the coast of Somalia has been rescued, the Chinese transport ministry said.

The MV Golden Blessing, a petroleum and chemical tanker, was travelling to India from Saudi Arabia when it was hijacked in late June, maritime authorities said at the time.

"The 19 Chinese crew and the ship Golden Blessing were rescued safely at 1:03 am Beijing time," the ministry said in a statement posted on its website on Saturday.

"The 19 Chinese crew are safe. At present, the Golden Blessing is heading to safe waters under Chinese naval escort."

The statement did not say how the ship had been rescued, or if anyone was arrested in the process. Calls to the transport ministry went unanswered.

Interesting. China may have flexed some muscles. Details when I get some.

UPDATE: Latest reports say this ship was ransomed - along with another - see here. And here.

And here re the Samho Dream.

So, the basic answer is "No, the ships freedom was purchased."

Somali Pirates: Thai trawler sunk by gunfire

Report from the Bangkok Post : Thai trawler sunk by Somali pirates:

A Thai navy patrol ship taking part in an anti-piracy mission off the Somalia coast on Thursday rescued 23 crewmen from a Thai trawler which was robbed by pirates and then sunk by gunfire, the secretariat of the navy said Friday.

The source said the operation centre of the Thai anti-piracy naval force received a report on Nov 2 about 5pm (local time) that Sirichai Nava 11, a Yemen-registered Thai fishing vessel, had been attacked and seized by Somali pirates about 15 nautical miles from the coast of Yemen.

This was 360 nautical miles from where the Thai naval operations centre was located.

HTMS Pattani, one of the two Thai ships taking part in the 28-country anti-piracy mission, was immediately despatched on a rescue mission.

HTMS Pattani arrived in the attack area on Nov 3 about 7am (local time), but did not see the Thai vessel. A helicopter search was then launched.

About 12.45pm the next day, the helicopter crew spotted an oil slick, flotsam and survivors.

They plucked from the sea seven Thai and 15 Cambodia crew and one Yemeni policeman. Still missing were one Thai crewman and four Yemeni policemen.

According to an account given by the rescued crewmen, the Thai fishing vessel was attacked and seized by 10 armed Somali pirates who arrived on a speed boat on Nov 2.

After the seizure, two of the pirates left on the speed boat while eight others took control of the Thai boat and forced it to sail toward the Somali coast.

About 1am on Nov 3, the trawler was hit by gun shots from another boat of an unknown nationality and sunk.

The crewmen were left drifting in the sea until they were rescued by the Thai patrol ship. They did not know what happened to the eight pirates.

A mystery gun ship? Fire from another Somali pirate vessel? Or some misguided fire from another war ship in the area?

To Everything There Is a Season

For over 12 years, my nearly constant companion:

Good-bye, old friend.

Somali Pirates: Coaster with passengers taken off Tanzania

A small coastal freighter/passenger ship has been taken by Somali pirates in the waters between the Comoros Islands and Tanzania, the EU confirms. The Comoros lie at the mouth of the Mozmbique Channel, south of Somalia. The Mozambique Channel lies between Madagascar and the African mainland.

Reported as MV ALY ZOULFECAR pirated in the Somali Basin:

The MV ALY ZOULFECAR, a Comorian-flagged vessel, was pirated on route between the Comores and Dar Es Salam (Tanzania).

The 43 meters long vessel was in transit from the Comoros to Dar Es Salam when it was attacked. On the morning of 3 November 2010, the Master of the MV ALY ZOULFECAR reported that pirates were on board.

The MV ALY ZOULFECAR has 29 people onboard, of which 9 are crewmembers and 20 passengers. The crew consists of 1 Tanzanian, 4 Comorian and 4 Madagascar. The passengers consist of 12 Tanzanian and 8 Comorian. This makes a total of 13 Tanzanian, 12 Comorian and 4 Malagasy on board the pirated vessel.

UPDATE: NATO report (here) a ship pirated at 05°15 S 043°39 E. See map below:

Somali Piracy: Updates

From the NATO Shipping Centre (NSC):

Pirates continue to utilize dhows or fishing vessels as mother ships in the Somali Basin. Recent incidents in this area include the pirating MV YORK (04°10S 041°15E) and the dhow SEA QUEEN. It is likely that the pirated fishing vessel GOLDEN WAVE was used in the pirating of MV YORK. The FV TAI YUAN 227 probably was involved in several unsuccessful attacks east of 67 degrees east over the last few weeks has likely returned to an anchorage and is no longer considered an active piracy threat. Another dhow is likely responsible for the 24 Oct attack on the MV BELUGA FORTUNE (03°30N 059°30E) highlighting the continued threat to shipping is this area.

Improved weather conditions should allow for improved visual and radar detection ranges of vessels of this size. Small vessels particularly skiffs, dhows and fishing vessels observed in the open ocean more than 300Nm from the Somali coast should be regarded with suspicion.

And, as warned yesterday (here), the pirates are alleged to be using a new "mother ship" in support of their operations.

UPDATE: And, an update to the update (a little redundancy, but I'm pressed for time):

Updated 3 November.

The south-west monsoon has now passed and conditions are now conducive for piracy operations off the Somali Coast and into the Somali Basin.The anticipated surge of activity is focused along the coast predominately in southern areas targeting local and international shipping in the vicinity of Kismayo, Dar es Salaam and Mombasa.

Pirates continue to utilize dhows or fishing vessels as mother ships in the Somali Basin. Recent incidents in this area include the pirating MV YORK (04°10S 041°15E) and the dhow SEA QUEEN. It is likely that the pirated fishing vessel GOLDEN WAVE was used in the pirating of MV YORK.  The FV TAI YUAN 227 probably was involved in several unsuccessful attacks east of 67 degrees east over the last few weeks has likely returned to an anchorage and is no longer considered an active piracy threat. Another dhow is likely responsible for the 24 Oct attack on the MV BELUGA FORTUNE (03°30N 059°30E) highlighting the continued threat to shipping is this area.

Improved weather conditions should allow for improved visual and radar detection ranges of vessels of this size. Small vessels particularly skiffs, dhows and fishing vessels observed in the open ocean more than 300Nm from the Somali coast should be regarded with suspicion.

Activity in the GOA temporarily spiked over the past weekend with two attacks: the first attacks in a week. These attacks occurred between 48 degrees 30 minutes and 50 degrees east in or very near to IRTC and were disrupted by counter piracy forces. Vigilant watches and early reporting remain are the keys for the rapid intervention by helicopters and warships.

Updated 3 November.    

Somali Pirates have sailed the MV AL NISR AL SAUDI to act as a mother ship east of Socotra Island threatening ships in the approached to the GOA. She is assessed as being involved in the attack on the MV GO TRADER in position 15°06N 055°58E.

        Ships shout be vigilant of a possible pirate action group using a mother ship, with two small skiffs in position 07°21N 064°03E. Small vessels particularly skiffs, dhows and fishing vessels observed in the open ocean more than 300Nm from the Somali coast should be regarded with suspicion.

         Mariners are advised that the MV Izumi has left her anchorage of Somalia and is heading south, last known position 03°45 S 046°45 E at 0410UTC 3 November 2010. MV Izumi might be used by pirates as a mother ship, any merchant vessel observing MV Izumi visual or by AIS is advised that the pirates onboard pose an active threat.

An unknown vessel possible a dhow has been observed in Pos 05°15 S 043°39 E at 0659 UTC 3 November 2010, this is a possible mother ship and should be considered an active threat.

Somali Pirates: NATO Says Pirates Have a New Mother Ship

Reported by the NATO Shipping Centre (NSC):

Somali Pirates have sailed the MV AL NISR AL SAUDI to act as a mother ship east of Socotra Island threatening ships in the approached to the GOA. She is assessed as being involved in the attack on the MV GO TRADER in position 15°06N 055°58E.

More from NATO:

November 02 2010
WARNING Somali Basin
Latitude: 03°58S Longitude: 043°49E
Alert number 459 / 2010.
At 0307 UTC 02 NOV a merchant vessel was under attack by pirates in position 03°58S 043°49E.
***This vessel managed to evade hijack***
The Pirate action group is still in the area.

Texas Style

I was a Giants fan first. But, having lived in both California and Texas, I'm enjoying this series. Now if the A's and the Astros could make it to the same series, I'd be a happy camper. I think the Astros have the longer climb.

Somali Pirates: Hijack A Tanker

Estimated vicinity of capture

Somali pirates hijack Panama-flagged tanker:

Somali pirates have hijacked a Panama-flagged tanker in the Somali Basin with 24 crew members, European Union anti-piracy force said on Saturday.

EU Naval Force spokesman Peter Klingvall said the Liberian- owned MV Polar was attacked during on Friday night approximately 580 nautical miles (almost 1,100 km) east from Socotra Island.

"The owner confirmed this morning that his vessel was under pirate control," Klingvall said in a statement.

The MV Polar, deadweight 72,825 tons, has a crew of 24, of which one is Romanian, three are Greek, four Montenegrin and 16 Filipino, he said. The Horn of African nation is at the entrance to the Gulf of Aden, which leads to the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, one of the world's most important shipping channels.

Ship photo by Dirk from Shipspotting.com and used in accord with that site's terms.

Fearless Navy Bloggers Take to the Air: Halloween Special -Episode 43 EMP Threat: Hype or Other? 10/31/2010

Time for scary tales and . . . Midrats presents its own version of the "Treehouse of Horror" with Episode 43 EMP Threat Hype or Other, Sunday (Halloween!) at 5 pm, as we discuss the stuff behind best-selling books and widely printed op-ed pieces - the threat posed by an Electro Magnetic Pulse attack:

When you mention the possibility of an Electro Magnetic Pulse attack (EMP) - people have a reaction of, "What?" - either that or they get all fidgety or roll their eyes. Is the EMP threat trick or treat? Join us this Halloween to discuss the issue with their guests Jason Sigger, defense policy analyst, opinion writer and blogger (Armchair Generalist) for the first half of the hour. For the second half of the hour, James Carafano, Ph.D., Deputy Director, The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies and Director, Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation.

For a recent Armchair Generalist blog post on EMP, see here.

For a recent Dr. Carafano piece on EMP, see here.

Wikipedia on EMP.

Not really a debate, but . . . how big a threat? Listen and then decide --- how afraid to be.

Listen to internet radio with Midrats on Blog Talk Radio

The River Highways

Before there were highways or even cleared trails, there were rivers. The Romans used them (see here):

The Rhine river was the main highway of the Roman province and the boat's site was a river port.
***

Life-sized model of Roman riverboat at Vienne (photo: Athena Review; Musee archeologique) 

The entire flat-bottomed vessel, a standard Roman type, would have been 22 to 23 metres long and would have had a beam of 3.5 metres and a capacity of 20 to 30 tons, suitable for cattle, stone and bricks, firewood or construction timber.  

Model photo from here

And, as noted here,

Flatboats were first introduced on the Connecticut River by European settlers in the 1630s. "Flatboats as developed by colonial builders were generally provided with a square mainsail set in the middle of the craft... and a topsail which was used only before the wind. ...When the wind was unfavorable these boats were propelled by poling. ...The flatboats [carried north] miscellaneous cargoes of merchandise, with iron, salt, molasses and much rum, and were returned down the river laden with shingles, potash and other products of the region... Household goods were also carried up for new settlers."


[From "The Upper Valley: An Illustrated Tour Along the Connecticut River" by Jerold Wikoff,
Chelsea Green Publishing Company, Chelsea VT, 1985.]

As the population moved west and found new rivers, new river highways opened up.

From A/V Geeks: Flatboatmen Of The Frontier (1941)

Presents a phase of pioneer agricultural economy in the early nineteenth century. Portrays Ohio Valley farmers as they fell trees, prepare the lumber, and build a flatboat to carry their produce down the river to market. Shows the farmers’ families helping them prepare for the trip, and the men on the first lap of their journey downstream.

 Some further history of these craft - on which floated the commerce of a nation - here.

Somali Pirates: Danes on the Attack

The Danish Navy ship Esbern Snare takes out a pirate "mother boat" as reported here:

Command ship ESBERN SNARE has patrolled along the Somali coast and blown away one of the pirates' mother ships. This limits the pirates' ability to operate far from shore.

In the past few days, NATO has had ESBERN SNARE inserted into an intelligence operation along Somalia's east coast. For this task ESBERN SNARE took yesterday a mother ship that serves as a pirate supply base out in the open ocean.

This mother ship with six suspected pirates were examined by an ESBERN SNARE boarding team, which took several effects that can be used for piracy. Among the effects were weapons and large quantities of fuel.

After ESBERN SNARE had secured evidence and confiscated equipment that can be used to pirate attacks, the suspected pirates were transferred to ESBERN SNARE and later returned to the [Somali] coast. The mother ship was blown up. (Google translation)

Go Danes!

Short Review: Expansion of Somali Piracy 2005 - 2010

Updated to add video I just created.

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010 to 26 Oct

Somali Pirates: Fail to Hijack French LPG Carrier

Another crew saved by a "citadel" as EU's MSC(HOA) reports Pirates fail in pirating LPGC MAIDO in the Somali Basin:

On 26 October 2010, late afternoon, the French-flagged Liquefied Petroleum Gas Carrier (LPGC) MAIDO was reported under attack from one skiff approximately 100 nautical miles south east from Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

Pirates had managed to board the vessel; however, later in the evening they eventually abandoned it, after having been unable to get control over the crew who had locked themselves in the ship’s “citadel”.

The 14 crewmembers are reported safe.

Somali Pirate Fail: MV Beluga Fortune Recovered

Some interesting photos of a boarding party from HMS Montrose getting aboard MV Beluga Fortune to ensure teh Somali pirates who held it briefly were gone at Pirates fail in pirating MV BELUGA FORTUNE in Somali Basin:

The warship HMS Montrose, operating under NATO’s naval force, headed towards the vessel as it was the closest ship from the scene of attack. As a result, the pirates set fire to part of the superstructure and immediately abandoned the ship on 25 October. “A team of Royal Marines from HMS Montrose boarded the vessel this afternoon and released them from the safe room,” explained NATO. “None of the crew were injured.”

Somali Pirates Fighting Warships?

An unconfirmed report: Somali pirates, warship clash kills one, injuries 3 in Mudug region

Confrontation between well armored Somali pirates and foreign warships broke out around the coast of Hobyo district, a stronghold of the pirates in Mudug region of north Somalia according to witnesses.

Mohamed Ali, one of the residents of Hobyo district said that the fighting between the pirates and naval forces started as more forces with their warship attacked pirates based around Hobyo district on Monday morning adding that the wounded people were fishers patrolling in the areas where the clash happened.

“Where the clash started was about 30 kilometers to the coast of Hobyo. So one pirate was killed and three fishermen were wounded during the fire exchange between the pirates and forces of the warships who attacked the pirates,” said one of the residents of Honyo district.

Is this the same event? - EU denies role in Somalia helicopter clash

The European Union's anti-piracy mission on Monday denied that one of its helicopters was involved in a clash with Somali pirates in which four people were killed.

Residents in the village of Labad on Somalia's northern coast said pirates had shot at a military helicopter on Sunday night, which returned fire killing at least four people.

"That helicopter does not belong to EU NAVFOR," Lieutenant Colonel Per Klingvall, spokesman for the EU naval force, told AFP.

"We have not heard of any incident like this from other task forces," he said, referring to US and NATO operations in the waters around the lawless Horn of Africa country.

Abdi Yare, a pirate leader, said the helicopter fired one missile in response to the shooting, killing four people including fishermen.

The incident was confirmed to AFP by elders in Labad.

"The pirates were preparing to go for an attack when the chopper spotted them," said Abdulaziz Moalim Ahmed.

Another elder said the helicopter fired a missile after pirates shot at it.

Somali Pirates: Busy Days

NATO reports 3 ship hijackings in the last 2 days:

24 October 2010
WARNING Somali Basin
Latitude: 00°54 S Longitude: 043°08 E
Alert number 440/2010.
***This vessel has been hijacked***
At 1311 UTC 23 OCT 2010 a dhow was reported Hijacked by pirates in position 00°54 S 043°08 E.
Weapons such as RPG were used. Dhow present position 01°31 S 043°28 E heading 050 speed 7kts.

----------------------------
October 24 2010
WARNING Somali Basin
Latitude: 03°29N Longitude: 059°35 E
Alert number 439 / 2010.
***This vessel has been hijacked*** [Eagle1 note: correlates with ship hijack reported here]
-----------------------------
October 23 2010
WARNING Somali Basin
Latitude: 04°14 S Longitude: 041°17 E
Alert number 438/ 2010. ---ALERT UPDATE---
Reference previous Alert number 437/ 2010.
At 1235 UTC a merchant vessel is currently under attack by 2 x skiffs in position 04°14S 041°17 E.
***This vessel has been hijacked*** [Eagle1 note: correlates with LPG tank hijack reported here]

At 0542 UTC a merchant vessel was reported Hijacked by pirates in position 03°29 N 059°35 E.
2 skiff were used with 4 POB. Weapons were used.
--------------------------------
October 23 2010
WARNING Somali Basin
Latitude: 04°14S Longitude: 041°19E
Alert number 437/ 2010.
At 1235 UTC a merchant vessel is currently under attack by 2 x skiffs in position 01°14S 041°19 E.
---------------------------------

UPDATE: Pirates have been cleared from ship, as reported here and by NATO Shipping Center:

October 25 2010
WARNING Somali Basin
Latitude: 02°58 N Longitude: 059°55 E
Alert number 441/ 2010. ---ALERT UPDATE---
Reference previous Alert number 439/ 2010.
At 0542 UTC a merchant vessel was reported Hijacked by pirates in position 03°29N 059°35E. 2 skiff were used with 4 POB. Weapons were used.
THE Pirate Action Group PIRATED THE MV AND THEN LEFT HER.
Last position 02°58N 059°55E.
***This vessel managed to evade hijack***
The Pirate action group is still in the area.

More here:

German military and international anti-piracy forces attacked a cargo ship being held by Somali pirates off eastern Africa and freed it Monday, but the hijackers got away, the German shipping company said.
***The German military freed the ship in cooperation with the anti-pirate mission Operation Atalanta, the shipping company said, adding that the ship was now on its way to South Africa as planned.

Nils Stolberg, the director of the Beluga-Reederei, said in a statement that one of the main reasons the military was able to free the ship so quickly was that the crew had trained for an emergency situation like this many times over the years.

"They sent out an emergency call, barricaded themselves in a special security room, shut off the fuel supply and the bridge and informed the military," Stolberg said. "This way the pirates could not bring the ship under their control or take the sailors at ransom."

And even more here:

Pirates had already left the ship by the time British frigate Montrose arrived at the scene Monday after steaming 15 hours to Beluga Fortune's aid. All 16 crewmembers were safe, the Beluga shipping company told the newspaper Weser Kurier.
The Beluga Fortune is now a success story of German shipping companies' standard procedures of shutting down all power and hiding the crew when a ship is attacked.
The ship's crew radioed at 7 a.m. on Sunday that pirates were attempting to board. They then immediately stopped the engine, blocked the fuel line and switched off all systems on the bridge - making it impossible for the pirates to move the ship.

Click on map to increase size.

Somali Pirates Grab Another in Indian Ocean

UPDATE: Pirates have been cleared from ship, as reported here and by NATO Shipping Center:

October 25 2010
WARNING Somali Basin
Latitude: 02°58 N Longitude: 059°55 E
Alert number 441/ 2010. ---ALERT UPDATE---
Reference previous Alert number 439/ 2010.
At 0542 UTC a merchant vessel was reported Hijacked by pirates in position 03°29N 059°35E. 2 skiff were used with 4 POB. Weapons were used.
THE Pirate Action Group PIRATED THE MV AND THEN LEFT HER.
Last position 02°58N 059°55E.
***This vessel managed to evade hijack***
The Pirate action group is still in the area.

More here:

German military and international anti-piracy forces attacked a cargo ship being held by Somali pirates off eastern Africa and freed it Monday, but the hijackers got away, the German shipping company said.
***The German military freed the ship in cooperation with the anti-pirate mission Operation Atalanta, the shipping company said, adding that the ship was now on its way to South Africa as planned.

Nils Stolberg, the director of the Beluga-Reederei, said in a statement that one of the main reasons the military was able to free the ship so quickly was that the crew had trained for an emergency situation like this many times over the years.

"They sent out an emergency call, barricaded themselves in a special security room, shut off the fuel supply and the bridge and informed the military," Stolberg said. "This way the pirates could not bring the ship under their control or take the sailors at ransom."

In addition to the tanker grabbed off Kenya (see here), there are reports of another ship capture here:

Bremen-based Beluga shipping company meanwhile said one of its chartered cargo ships had been captured by pirates in the Indian Ocean.

The South Africa-bound ship was carrying heavy packages from the United Arab Emirates to Richards Bay, a company statement issued in the northern German port said, but did not give details about the number of staff or their nationality.

"We received a distress call this Sunday at 7:08 a.m. (0508 GMT) from our cargo Beluga Fortune," said the statement. "We can now confirm that this was an attack and that our ship was seized by Somali pirates."

The German foreign ministry could not immediately confirm the capture.

Including this weekend's seizures, pirates currently are holding 20 vessels with at least 428 hostages, the EU statement said.

Photo by Vladimir Knyaz from Shipspotting.com and used iaw the terms of that site.

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

That is not the official motto of NPR.

Button liberated from here.

Somali Pirates Capture Small Tanker Off Kenya

Pirates seize LPG tanker off Kenya:

On the morning of 24 October, the MV YORK, a Singapore-flagged tanker, was confirmed pirated in the Somali Basin.

The MV YORK had recently left Mombasa on route to the Seychelles. The vessel was attacked on 23 October by two skiffs, approximately 50 nautical miles East from Mombasa.

The Turkish warship GAZIANTEP, operating under the Combined Maritime Forces (Task Force 151) launched her helicopter to investigate. The helicopter was able to observe pirates with weapons on board the vessel.

Initially the MV YORK was drifting but then began moving at 10 knots this morning. In a separate but seemingly linked incident the fishing vessel GOLDEN WAVE, pirated on 9 October 2010, was seen in the vicinity of the MV YORK.

The MV YORK, deadweight 5,076 tons, has a crew of 17, of which one is German (Master), two are Ukrainians and 14 Filipinos.

Including the MV YORK, Somali pirates are currently holding 19 vessels with 428 hostages.

Pirates of Costa Rica?

Arrow points to area of alleged attack

A report of a Costa Rica pirate attack :

Two Dana Point boaters sailing in Costa Rica reported their 50-foot sailboat had been attacked by masked and armed pirates that boarded after dark, tied them up with duct tape, and stole about $12,000 of electronics and cash, according to a boating newsletter.

According to an account in the Log newspaper, Bruce Stevens and Clark Nicholson were cruising with Stevens' El Salvadoran girlfriend near Quepos, Costa Rica when about six pirates attacked their Gulfstar sailboat called "Two Amigos" around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 15.

Unconfirmed.

There have been warnings about possible piracy off Costa Rica, as seen here, where the drug trade gets the blame.

And, of course, there is some history.

UPDATE: Another warning here.