"We must be ready to dare all for our country. For history does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid. We must acquire proficiency in defense and display stamina in purpose." - President Eisenhower, First Inaugural Address
All flights in and out of the UK have been suspended as ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland moves south.
Safety body Eurocontrol said up to 4,000 flights across northern Europe would be cancelled on Thursday.
The air traffic control service (Nats) said no flights would be allowed in or out of UK airspace until 1800BST amid fears of engine damage.
***
Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark were among the European countries hit.
Thousand of flights were canceled, stranding tens of thousands of passengers, and authorities said it was not clear when it would be safe enough to fly again.
One scientist in Iceland said the ejection of volcanic ash — and therefore possible disruptions in air travel — could continue for days or even weeks.
***
"It is likely that the production of ash will continue at a comparable level for some days or weeks. But where it disrupts travel, that depends on the weather," said Einar Kjartansson, a geophysicist at the Icelandic Meteorological Office. "It depends how the wind carries the ash"
In Paris, all flights north were canceled until midnight. At Copenhagen's international airport, spokesman Henrik Peter Joergensen said some 25,000 passengers were affected.
Piracy in Cameroon has cut off some oil production, causing worries about future investments from overseas oil companies.
The African country has recently been embroiled in piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, which has led to insecurity in the oil industry.
As much as 95 percent of Cameroon's oil comes from a basin in the Gulf of Guinea, where attacks on commercial shipping have made the area increasingly dangerous.
Seven Chinese fishermen were kidnapped last month and a Nigerian boat was hijacked off the coast of Cameroon.
On each occasion, pirates demanded more than $1 million to release the ships.
Crude oil production in Cameroon has gone down to average just over 73,000 barrels a day with spending in the oil sector dropping by more than one-third.
Gilpin says piracy threatens the profitability of new oil exploration off Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Nigeria's Niger Delta. The interest in new sources of oil will always be there, but Gilpin says it is the quality of investment that will suffer.
"You are less likely to see oil majors who have the capacity and the deep-pockets for the sort of exploration that will be required go in first," he said. "You are more likely to see smaller concerns go in and test the waters. And what this does it costs the countries because when the oil majors come in later, the beneficiaries are the smaller companies that took the risk to go in in the first place, not the countries."
Gilpin says very few countries in the Gulf of Guinea have addressed what he calls vast gaps in maritime security from Nigeria to Angola. Pirate groups that withdrew after increased security in 2000 are now reemerging. But unlike the more-publicized piracy off the coast of Somalia, Gulf of Guinea pirates are less organized.
The St Vincent & Grenadines flagged cargo ship MV RAK AFRIKANA has been hijacked this morning 11 April approximately 280 nautical miles west of Seychelles.
Previously, EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Aircraft spotted the MV and reported 8 POB (3 of them possible pirates) and several fuel barrels. ITS Scirocco from CTF 508 is heading towards the position to investigate. The RAK AFRIKANA has currently stopped due to engine problems. MV RAK AFRICANA has deadweight of 7,561 tonnes and is owned by Rak Afrikana Shipping LTD fromSeychelles. The nationality of the crew is at this moment unknown.
USS ASHLAND, Gulf of Aden (NNS) -- At approximately 5:00 a.m. local time, the USS Ashland (LSD 48), was fired upon by a skiff manned by suspected pirates in the Gulf of Aden, approximately 330 nautical miles off the coast of Djibouti.
During the attack, the Ashland received small arms fire on the port side from the six man crew of suspected pirates aboard the skiff. The Ashland, in accordance with her rules of engagement, returned fire.
USS Ashland fired two rounds at the skiff from her MK-38 Mod 2, 25mm gun. The skiff caught fire and the suspected pirates abandoned the skiff. The Ashland deployed her rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) to assist the pirates who were in the water near their skiff.
Once it was verified that the suspected pirates no longer had weapons on their person, all six were brought on board the Ashland where they received medical care. There is no apparent damage to the USS Ashland and there were no injuries to any members of her crew.
Captain John Bruening, commanding officer, Nassau Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), expressed the commitment of the ships in the Nassau ARG to ensuring the success of creating a stable and secure maritime environment.
"This is why we are here," said Bruening. "It is so much more than just putting a stop to the illegal activities of only one pirate skiff. It is about fostering an environment that will give every nation the freedom to navigate the seas without fear of attack."
Three events over the past ten days have allowed the U.S. Navy to capture a total of 21 suspected pirates. Two of these events were precipitated by attacks on the U.S. vessels, while the third was in response to a fellow mariner's call for help. USS Nicholas (FFG 47) was attacked late in the evening by pirates on March 31, resulting in the capture of five, while today's attack on USS Ashland netted an additional six. The third event, USS McFaul (DDG 74) responded to the distress call from M/V Rising Sun on April 5, helping thwart the attack and capture an additional ten suspected pirates. The U.S. Navy is now reviewing multiple options regarding these suspected pirates' legal dispositions.
Photo captions:
(upper) GULF OF ADEN (April 10, 2010) A suspected pirate skiff burns after being destroyed by the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48). Ashland while operating approximately 330 nautical miles off the coast of Djibouti, was fired upon from a skiff manned by suspected pirates. Ashland returned fire and disabled the skiff. USS Ashland is part of the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently supporting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) and Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) Operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Released)
(lower) GULF OF ADEN (April 10, 2010) The burned out hull of a suspected pirate skiff drifts near the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48). Ashland while operating approximately 330 nautical miles off the coast of Djibouti, was fired upon and returned fire disabling a skiff manned by suspected pirates. Ashland deployed a visit, board, search and seizure team to rescue the suspects from the sea. USS Ashland is part of the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group and 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently supporting Maritime Security Operations (MSO) and Theater Security Cooperation (TSC) Operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Released)
UPDATE: A suspected Somali pirate is pulled from the sea to join a fellow pirate in the custody of the U.S. Navy. It appears a couple of the Navy team are on "shark watch" for the benefit of other suspected pirates or, in the alternative, keeping on eye on other suspects in the water.
This week's episode is a special one, we will be live from the Navy Memorial in Washington DC as it gets ready for the annual Blessing of the Fleets. The 2010 Blessing of the Fleets will debut the Navy Memorial's latest exhibit, Supporting the Force: Navy Supply in Action—Ready for Sea, Ready Ashore, and will kick off the Year of Navy Supply. Following on popular exhibits in recent years that have honored the Seabees, Navy Medicine and Navy Special Warfare, 2010 has been set aside to honor the Navy’s logistics, culinary and business specialists. A full schedule of events will accompany the exhibit, including food tastings, films, lectures and equipment displays. To help get the ball rolling, we have three scheduled guests; - Rear Admiral Edward K. Walker, Jr., Supply Corps USN (Ret.); President and Chief Executive Officer, United States Navy
Memorial Foundation. - Rear Admiral Michael J. Lyden, USN; Commander, Naval Supply Systems Command and the 45th Chief of Supply Corps. - Documentarian Brian J. Kelly who will be screening their new work, Discovery Channel's film about Navy operations today "At Sea." Make sure and join us for the show, or better yet - if you are in DC this weekend, come by and see the exhibit.
CDR Salamander will be live at the scene, I get to tend to the home fires.
08. April 2010 WARNING Pirate Attack Somali Basin / Indian Ocean (1343N,05641E) Alert number 327 / 2010. At 0622 UTC a merchant vessel is currently under attack by 1 skiffs in position 13 43N - 056 41E Weapons have been fired -------------------------------------------- 07. April 2010 Alert Update, Somali Basin / Indian Ocean (04 59S,043 52E) Alert number 326 / 2010. Reference previous Alert number 325 / 2010. At 12:43 UTC a merchant vessel was under attack by pirates in position 0459S 04352E. ***This vessel has been hijacked*** Alert number 325 / 2010. At 12:43 UTC a merchant vessel is currently under attack by pirates in position 0459S 04352E.
By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rachel McMarr
MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- USS McFaul (DDG 74) captured ten suspected pirates and rescued eight crewmembers from the pirated Indian cargo dhow Faize Osamani, near Salalah, Oman, April 5 after the dhow and three skiffs attempted to attack the Motor Vessel (M/V) Rising Sun the same day.
M/V Rising Sun sent a distress call the morning of April 5 to alert maritime forces that pirate skiffs had pulled alongside and were firing small arms and rocket propelled grenades at their vessel. The Omani warship Al Sharquiyah (B 11) and U.S. destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) immediately responded.
As the naval vessels were in transit, M/V Rising Sun used the industry recommended "best management practices" of increasing speed, evasive maneuvers and spraying potential attackers with fire hoses to thwart the pirate attack as the navies were in transit. These efforts were rewarded when the pirate skiffs broke off their attack and returned to their pirated mother ship, the Faize Osamani.
Arriving first to the last known location of the pirated mothership was the Omani vessel. As the Omani ship approached, the nine hostage sailors from Faize Osamani jumped into the ocean in an attempt to get away from the dangerous pirates and toward their rescuer. The Omani Navy was able to rescue eight of these crew members, however, one crew member drowned. Despite the loss of their hostages, the pirates remained aboard the Faize Osamani.
As the Omani ship rendered assistance to the escaped hostages, USS McFaul arrived on scene. With two warships now operating in close proximity, the pirates agreed to a compliant boarding. McFaul approached the dhow and directed the suspected pirates to surrender by gathering on the bow with their hands in the air, which they quickly complied with but not before throwing their weapons overboard. Two boarding teams from McFaul deployed in rigid hull inflatable boats (RHIB), boarded the dhow and took control of the Faize Osamani.
The surviving sailors of the dhow Faize Osamani have been returned to their vessel, while their lost shipmate has been transported to shore by the Omani warship. The suspected pirates were subsequently transferred to USS Carney (DDG 64) in anticipation of further transfer to a state willing to accept the pirates for prosecution. ***
DhowPhoto credit and captions:
GULF OF OMAN (April 5, 2010) Members of a visit, board, search and seizure team from the guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) inspect the Indian-flagged vessel Faize Osamani. The dhow was a suspected pirate mothership accused of firing small arms and rocket-propelled grenades at the Motor Vessel Rising Sun. The Sailors took ten suspected pirates into custody and rescued eight crewmembers that had escaped from the dhow. McFaul is supporting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of Responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)
Ship photo credit and caption:
The guided-missile destroyer USS McFaul (DDG 74) makes a hard turn while underway in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jason R. Zalasky/Released)
Pirates hijack Turkish Bulk Carrier off the Somali coast
07/04/2010 17.28 UTC
The Turkish flagged Bulk Carrier YASIN C was hijacked earlier today approximately 250 Nautical Miles east of Mombasa.
The YASIN C, with deadweight of 36 318 tonnes, left the IRTC almost one week ago and was heading to Mombasa. The Turkish owned and operated YASIN C has a crew of 25 and all are believed to be Turkish. It is understood that first reports of the attack on the ship came from the NATO Turkish warship GELIBOLU that received distress calls from the YASIN C. EU NAVFOR, who works closely with NATO and CMF, continues to monitor the situation.
Photo from Shipspotting.com by Vladimir Knyaz and used in accord with the terms of that site.
As reported yesterday, the Dutch warship HNLMS Tromp managed to effect a rescue of a ship and crew after a boarding by pirates. Now, we get more details, including a look at how a warship captain should act when faced with a bureaucracy that might slow his rescue to a stop. As reported in The Associated Press: Dutch sidestep EU red tape to rescue German ship:
Gaining fast on the pirates who had seized a German freighter, Dutch naval captain Col. Hans Lodder had no time to waste on bureaucracy.
Sidestepping the command of the European Union's anti-piracy task force, he went instead to his own government for authorization to recapture the ship by force.
Lodder first ascertained that the Taipan's crew had locked itself in a bulletproof room. Then he launched his ship's Lynx helicopter with a team of six special forces marines.
With troops providing cover fire from the helicopter, the marines rappelled onto the ship's deck of the MV Taipan to shoot it out, if need be, with the pirates. But they met no resistance. The 15-man crew was rescued, and 10 Somali pirates were captured.
"The pirates surrendered the moment they saw the marines," Lodder said in a telephone interview Tuesday from the Dutch frigate Tromp. No one was injured.
Monday's successful rescue showed that, when swift decisions are needed, it can be quicker to work around the European Union's command.
It was the first time a Dutch ship involved in the EU mission had used force to recapture a hijacked ship. An EU spokesman could not immediately recall any incident when troops under EU command had boarded a seized ship under the threat of fire.
Lodder said he decided to seek permission from his own command for an "opposed boarding" — one where pirates may resist — rather than act under procedures laid down by Brussels.
Well done, Captain Lodder! Your bold, decisive actions are in the best traditions of the Royal Netherlands Navy.
Photo of Captain Lodder and an explanation of the broom from here.
UPDATE: Photo of Dutch Marines fast roping onto merchant from Dutch Defense/Navy site.
05. April 2010 WARNING, Suspect Vessel, North Indian Ocean (1819N,05848E) Alert number 324 / 2010. At 1750Z UTC a Merchant vessel reported a suspicious approach by 2 skiffs in position 1819N 05848E. Whilst weapons were reported as being seen the skiffs did not fire at the vessel and only came within 2.5nm. The skiffs are still in the area 5. april 2010. -------------------------------------------- 05. April 2010 UPDATE, Pirate Attack, Indian Ocean (1341N,05530E) Alert number 323 / 2010. At 12:38 UTC a merchant vessel was reported under attack by pirates in position 1341N 05530E. THE VESSEL EVADED THE ATTACK Weapons reported. -------------------------------------------- 05. April 2010 WARNING Pirate Attack, Indian Ocean (1223 N,06021E) Alert number 322 / 2010. At 07:49 UTC a merchant vessel was reported under attack by pirates/ 2 skiffs in position 1223 N 06021 E. -------------------------------------------- 05. April 2010 ALERT UPDATE, North Indian Ocean (1821N,05901E) Alert number 321 / 2010. Reference previous Alert number 320 / 2010. At 0313Z a merchant vessel was reported under attack in position 1821N 05901E. ***This vessel managed to evade hijack*** the attack has now ceased 05. April 2010, the Pirate action group is still in the area. -------------------------------------------- 05. April 2010 WARNING, Pirate Attack, North Indian Ocean (1821N,05901E) Alert number 319 / 2010. At 0313 UTC a merchant vessel was reported under attack by 1 vessel in position 1821N 05901E. One white vessel reported firing at MV -------------------------------------------- 05. April 2010 WARNING, Pirate Attack, North Indian Ocean (1821N,05901E) Alert number 320 / 2010. At 0313 UTC a merchant vessel was reported under attack by 1 vessel in position 1821N 05901E. One white vessel reported firing at MV -------------------------------------------- 05. April 2010 WARNING, Pirate Attack, North Indian Ocean (1821N,05901E) Alert number XXX / 2010. At 0313 UTC a merchant vessel was reported under attack by 1 vessel in position 1821N 05901E. One white vessel reported firing at MV -------------------------------------------- 04. April 2010 WARNING, Pirate Attack, Somali Basin/ Indian Ocean (0920 S,04432 E) Alert number 319 / 2010. At 14:06 UTC a merchant vessel was reported under attack by pirates in position 0920 S 04432E. A mother vessel and a skiff, weapons have been fired. --------------------------------------------
Interesting pattern developing as all these attack are outside of patrolled transit lanes.
UPDATE: Weather and waves favorable to small boat operations in the above attack areas as seen here:
This shows winds of 5 knots or less in these areas. Less wind generally means reduced wave heights.
Bill Roggio and others make a few points about the viral video "Collateral Murder". Not much point in joining in the effort, although I note that if the group behind its dissemination wants to really do reports on "collateral murders" then they ought to be pumping out the videos on al Qaeda and other terrorist bomb attacks in market places, public squares and subway stations. See,for example, At least 7 blasts rip through Baghdad, killing 49 :
At least seven bombs ripped through apartment buildings across Baghdad Tuesday and another struck a market, killing 49 people and wounding more than 160, authorities said.
The explosions were the latest in a five-day spree of attacks in and around the capital that have killed at least 119 people.
In other words, there are thousands hundreds of innocents being murdered every single day by terrorists and we see this video in which a group of men, some clearly armed, get taken out as a convoy approaches?
A sea mounted kidnapping of a Swiss-born resident of Zamboanga has prompted some potential activity by the government of the Philippines to improve littoral security, as noted here:
Philippine National Police Director General Jesus Verzosa on Monday called for tighter security in the country’s coastal areas after the kidnapping of a Swiss-born man in Zamboanga City on Sunday.
Verzosa said attention should be given on the country’s coastal areas, as a number of suspects flee seaward.
“The Philippines is an archipelago and I find it hard to believe that our [security] coverage in coastal areas is weak,” Verzosa said during turnover ceremonies at the PNP Maritime Group in Camp Crame.
The kidnapping of Swiss-born Charlie Reith, he said, was an example of an incident where the suspects were able to escape on board three boats with the 72-year-old victim.
“Most crimes committed here transpire on the seas, such as smuggling, terrorism, trafficking, and abduction,” Verzosa said.
“That’s why we really have to reform the Maritime Group and…in developing the capabilities of our personnel,” he added.
Verzosa said that in the coming months, the PNP is looking to procure more fast boats as well as the establishment of more maritime detachments to better secure the coastal areas in the country.
He added that the PNP is targeting one fast boat per province in the country.
Hard to fault the logic, hope there is a follow-up.
EU NAVFOR French warship NIVÔSE and Maritime Patrol aircraft continue to intercept and disrupt Pirate Action Groups
05/04/2010 21.48 UTC
EU NAVFOR has continued activities designed to disrupt and destroy Pirate Action Groups (PAGs) with combined sea and air operations in the Somali Basin.
On 4 April, the Swedish Maritime Patrol Aircraft located two suspect ships 270 nautical miles east of Mogadishu, composed of one mother ship and one attack skiff.
EUNAVFOR French warship FS NIVÔSE was vectored onto these craft and intercepted the suspected pirate vessels. NIVÔSE launched its helicopter and additionally sent a boarding party which subsequently apprehended 7 suspect pirates and found small arms, an RPG and ladders. This is the fourth such successful interception by NIVÔSE since joining the EU NAVFOR operation.
See also here, where the pictures of the French investigating the "mother ship" (note all the fuel drums) and a suspected pirate skiff (looks the the shop that prepares boarding ladders does a nice job) came from. Clicking on the pictures makes them bigger.
Now, the Iranians, with a report from Iranian PressTV here:
Iran's Navy has rescued an Iranian oil tanker attacked by Somali pirates in the dangerous waters of Gulf of Aden.
According to Iran's Mehr News Agency, the Iran Faraz oil tanker was sailing from the southern Iranian port city of Bushehr to Izmir in Turkey when it came under attack by four pirate boats.
Pirates fled when Iran's Navy ships in the area started to chase the boats, Mehr said.
Iran Faraz continued its journey towards Izmir after the incident, the report added.
The photograph accompanying the PressTV article is from an earlier (March 5, 2010) pirate investigation by the French vessel Nivose, which was on a suspected pirate nabbing roll at the time:
From 5 to 7 March 2010, joining mission forces from France, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain and Sweden, Nivôse secured its "biggest seizure" so far in the vital shipping lane, with 35 pirates arrested and four mother ships seized in three days off Somalia.
The Swedish Maritime Patrol aircraft has been very busy in spotting and directing EU forces to areas where suspected "pirate action groups" are collecting.
UPDATE: Saturn5 has a report on a Turkish frigate rescuing some Indian sailors, a Danish-flagged merchant ship and forcing Somali pirates to run for cover ashore in Somalia here. Well done to F-493 TCG Gelibolu!
In February of 2009, the top commander in Afghanistan, General David McKiernan, decided to send a Stryker Brigade to Kandahar and a Marine expeditionary brigade (MEB) to Helmand, where ten of the twelve districts were under Taliban control. The MEB mission was to control the southern and western districts and to seize Marja, the Taliban headquarters and the hub of the drug trade. Helmand accounted for 70% of the world's illegal opium and heroin production, with the Taliban taking between $40 and $100 million per annum. If Kandahar was the symbolic capital of the Taliban, then Helmand was their breadbasket.
We know part of the rest of the story.
This is an interesting read on the meaning of the campaign and possible lessons to be learned from it.
MV Taipan, a German flagged and owned container ship of deadweight of 12612 tonnes, was on route to Mombasa from Djibouti when pirates attacked and took control of the ship.
On the morning of the 5 April, 500 nautical miles east off the Somali coast, a Pirate Attack Group (PAG) attacked and got onboard the MV Taipan. As the pirates boarded the ship the MV Taipan crew followed EU NAVFOR Best Management Practice, retreated to a secure strong room and locked themselves in; they were able to stop all engines and thereby disable the ship, before alerting EU NAVFOR that the ship had been taken. HNLMS Tromp was sent immediately to the scene and located the pirated ship.
Initially HNMLS Tromp attempted to negotiate with the pirates to avoid casualties but when it became clear that the pirates intended resistng, HNMLS Tromp launched a highly professional operation to recapture the ship. Marines from the TROMP have now boarded and retaken control of the ship from the pirates. The crew of 13 (2 German, 3 Russian and 8 Sri Lankan nationals) have been released unharmed. 10 pirates have been taken into custody.
A South Korean oil tanker with 24 crew members was hijacked on Sunday off the coast of Somalia, apparently by pirates, Seoul's foreign ministry said.
The 300,000-ton ship, the Samho Dream, was on its way from Iraq to the US state of Louisiana with a crew of five South Koreans and 19 Filipinos, the ministry said.
The ministry said it called an emergency meeting to discuss the incident.
"The ship is presumed to have been hijacked by Somali pirates," it said in a statement, adding the government would do its best for the safety of the sailors.
South Korea has an anti-piracy warship patrolling Somali waters because of a rise in hijackings.
Somali pirates, targeting one of the world's busiest maritime trade routes, raked in an estimated 60 million dollars in ransoms last year.
Kenya has formally announced it wishes to stop the prosecution of suspected Somali pirates and cancel the agreements it has to that effect with several naval powers, diplomats said Thursday. The Kenyan authorities have sent “cancellation notes” to at least two of those powers’ diplomatic representations in Nairobi, arguing it could no longer bear the burden on its prison and court systems.
Kenya has memoranda of understanding with the European Union, United States, Canada, Denmark, China and United Kingdom whereby it takes in suspects intercepted at sea and prosecutes them in courts in Mombasa. *** More than 100 suspects have been transferred to Kenya by the Western and other warships patrolling the Indian Ocean to combat piracy.
Kenya, with the Seychelles the only littoral state that has agreed to take in suspects for prosecution, has recently complained that the strain on its over-populated prisons and congested courts was too heavy.
The agreements allowing foreign naval powers to hand over suspects to Kenya instead of taking them back home for prosecution include financial support from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
One million dollars have already been paid to Kenya for the development of its judicial and prison capacity.
Trying pirates in courts in these enlightened days is a far cry from the days of drumhead justice, as noted here:
What to do with pirates after they have been apprehended is a particularly sticky issue and it has been approached ad hoc. It is the duty of every state to act against piracy according to the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS provides the general guidelines for how states must address the issue of piracy. The Convention allows for the reasonable boarding of a suspected pirate vessel and the arrest of those on board. It also provides that any state has the power to try pirates under its own law.
Normally under UNCLOS, Somalia would try Somali pirates caught off its coast; however, Somalia’s judicial system is essentially nonexistent. Thus, if pirates are to be tried at all, they must be tried in other countries. UNCLOS allows all states to exercise universal jurisdiction over pirates. Currently, pirates are standing trial in countries like Kenya, France and the Netherlands.
Despite the permissive provisions of UNCLOS, there are certain legal and practical road blocks in prosecuting pirates outside their home country. Many countries have particularly strict rules for prosecution. For example, Denmark and Germany can prosecute pirates only if they have threatened national interests or citizens. U.S. courts are reluctant to exercise jurisdiction unless the vessel involved is American. Most courts prefer that pirates be tried near where they are apprehended or in their home country.
Maybe there is something to be said for letting the crews of attacked ships sit in judgment of captured pirates who have been shooting at those same crews...
Heavily armed Somali pirates shot and wounded nine seafarers during a bloody attempt to hijack a North Korean cargo ship off Kenya on Wednesday, a maritime watchdog said.
“There was a very violent attack against a North Korean vessel by Somali pirates who used automatic rifles and RPGs (rocket-propelled grenades),” Pottengal Mukundan, director of the London based International Maritime Bureau (IMB) told AFP.
“Nine crew members have been seriously injured as a result of the attack,” he added.
Mukundan said Somali pirates, who have become a serious hazard for shipping in the region, attacked the ship which was heading to Mombasa.
“Despite coming under heavy attack, the pirates were unable to board the ship,” he said.
By Commander, Combined Maritime Forces Public Affairs
MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- The Flagship of Combined Task Force (CTF) 151, USS Farragut (DDG 99), intercepted suspected pirates in the Somali Basin yesterday.
The Sierra Leone-flagged tanker MV Evita came under attack 500 km north-west of the Seychelles by three suspected pirate skiffs. During the attack, the pirates fired rifles and aimed rocket propelled grenades at the vessel in an attempt to force it to stop. The MV Evita was able to evade attack by adopting industry recommended 'best management practices'; increasing its speed and firing flares at the pirates to warn them off.
The Master of MV Evita informed the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) based in Kuala Lumpur and the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) office in Dubai. Upon receiving the piracy report, UKMTO contacted coalition forces operating in the area.
A Swedish Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPRA), from EUNAVFOR, contacted the MV Evita and subsequently located the suspected pirate skiffs. A SH-60B Seahawk helicopter, from Farragut, was immediately dispatched to monitor the pirates while the suspected pirate skiffs were boarded.
Eleven suspected pirates were aboard the skiffs, along with fuel drums and grappling hooks. The MPRA had previously witnessed the suspected pirates throwing ladders and equipment overboard.
After ensuring that the suspected pirates had no means to conduct any more attacks, all 11 were released on the two small skiffs, while the mother skiff was destroyed and sunk.
Commander, CTF 151, Rear Adm. Bernard Miranda, Republic of Singapore Navy, applauded the response to the incident, and said: "Today's successful disruption operation was the result of close cooperation and swift responses from many parties, including the merchant ship MV Evita, the maritime organizations IMB and UKMTO, USS Farragut and the EU NAVFOR Swedish MPRA. The pirates have become bolder and are attacking ships further away from the Somali shores. This makes it even more important for all stakeholders to play their role and work closely together to deal with the piracy problem. What we witnessed today is a good example of how this can be achieved."
The Master of MV Evita, CAPT Norberto Grubat from the Philippines, expressed his gratitude for the assistance rendered by the coalition forces and the maritime organizations, saying: "In future emergencies, I would definitely give you a call for assistance. Thank you very much for your help."
CTF 151 is a multi-national task force established in January 2009 to conduct counter- piracy operations under a mission based mandate to actively deter, disrupt and suppress piracy in order to protect global maritime security and secure freedom of navigation for the benefit of all nations. CTF 151 is part of Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) which patrols more than 2.5 million square miles of international waters working to defeat terrorism, prevent piracy, reduce illegal trafficking of people and drugs, and promote the maritime environment as a safe place for mariners with legitimate business.
Upper photo caption:
INDIAN OCEAN (Mar. 31, 2010) The Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) passes by the smoke from a suspected pirate skiff it had just disabled. USS Farragut is part of Combined Task Force 151, a multinational task force established to conduct anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Cassandra Thompson/Released)
Lower Photo:
INDIAN OCEAN (March 31, 2010) Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment and Combined Task Force 151's visit board search and seizure team, on board the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Farragut (DDG 99) prepare to board a suspicious dhow. USS Farragut is part of Combined Task Force 151, a multinational task force established to conduct anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Cassandra Thompson/Released)
Join me and Sal from "CDR Salamander" as we extend last week's discussion on Multilateralism at Sea with a discussion of International Navies.
Our guests will be Eric Wertheim and Jerry Hendrix.
Eric Wertheim is a defense consultant, columnist and author specializing in naval and air force issues. He was named to the helm of the internationally acknowledged, one volume Naval Institute reference Combat Fleets of the World in 2002. He served as a speechwriter for senior Pentagon officials and and from 1994 through 2004 wrote the bimonthly "Lest We Forget" column on historic U.S. warships for the Naval Institute's Proceedings magazine. Since 2004, Eric has written the monthly "Combat Fleets" column for Proceedings, and his annual review of world navies runs in the March issue of the magazine. He is the coauthor with Norman Polmar of the books, Chronology of the Cold War at Sea and Dictionary of Military Abbreviations, both published by the Naval Institute Press.
Our second guest will be Commander Henry J. Hendrix, Jr., USN, author of Theodore Roosevelt's Naval Diplomacy: The U.S. Navy and the Birth of the American Century, the 2009 Proceedings article, Buy Fords, Not Ferraris, and a follow-up article in this month's edition, Less Henderson, More Bonds.
Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo says she believes Johnson was not posing a serious question, telling KUAM News, "He was saying that is jest. I don't know how it was said or when, but I know Congressman Johnson; he's been here. I'm sure it was just a joke."
Assumptions, as a Marine Gunny once advised me, are not always good.
But here, judge for yourself. Joke or not? Begins about the 1:18 point.
When I was kid there, we used to run really fast back and forth across the island to get it rocking...
UPDATE: Newly released deep sea photo of Guam as seen from below:
Apparently Congressman Johnson saw this previously classified (WTS*) photo just before the hearing.
UPDATE2: The "official" version of Guam's geology here. The truth is out there.
UPDATE3: You can find a calculator for determining the resistance to capsizing here. You have to first know how much Guam weighs, though.
UPDATE4: Yes, I know he's not a well man. Perhaps he should take medical leave.
*WTS= Way Too Secret
Subject: RISK TO VESSELS TRANSITING HIGH RISK WATERS
1. THIS MARAD ADVISORY PROVIDES INFORMATION ON THE RISK TO VESSELS TRANSITING THE HIGH RISK WATERS OF THE GULF OF ADEN (GOA), RED SEA, THE INDIAN OCEAN AND WATERS OFF THE HORN OF AFRICA (SOMALIA).
2. THIS ADVISORY WILL BE PUBLISHED ON THE MARAD WEB SITE AT WWW.MARAD.DOT.GOV UNDER THE HORN OF AFRICA PIRACY PORTAL AND ON THE US COAST GUARD HOMEPORT SITE AT HOMEPORT.USCG.MIL/PIRACY. OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION IS ALSO POSTED ON THESE WEB SITES.
3. U.S.-FLAG OPERATORS WITH SHIPS IN THE AFFECTED AREAS ARE REQUESTED TO FORWARD THIS ADVISORY TO THEIR SHIPS BY THE MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS. NOTHING IN THIS ADVISORY MODIFIES REQUIREMENTS FOR U.S. FLAG VESSELS OUTLINED IN U.S.C.G. MARSEC DIRECTIVE 104-6 (CURRENT VERSION).
4. PIRATES ARE ATTACKING VESSELS TRANSITING IN THE GULF OF ADEN, OFF THE SOMALI COAST, AND THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN, INCLUDING ATTACKS AS FAR AS 1000 NAUTICAL MILES OFF THE SOMALI COAST. ATTACKS HAVE TAKEN PLACE OFF THE KENYAN AND TANZANIAN COASTS. THESE PIRATES ARE FIRING AUTOMATIC WEAPONS AND ROCKET PROPELLED GRENADES (RPG) IN AN ATTEMPT TO BOARD AND HIJACK VESSELS. ONCE THE ATTACK IS SUCCESSFUL AND THE VESSEL HIJACKED, THE PIRATES DIRECT THE VESSEL TO THE SOMALI COAST AND THEREAFTER DEMAND A RANSOM FOR THE SAFE RELEASE OF THE VESSEL AND CREW.
5. DESPITE THE INCREASE IN PRESENCE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF NAVAL FORCES IN THE REGION, AS WELL AS THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DEFENSIVE AND PROTECTIVE MEASURES, PIRATE ACTIVITY HAS CONTINUED AND A NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL AND CIVILIAN SHIPS HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFULLY ATTACKED AND SEIZED.
6. VESSEL OPERATORS SHOULD ANTICIPATE AN INCREASE IN PIRACY ATTACKS FROM MARCH THROUGH MAY AS THE AREA TRANSITIONS FROM THE SOUTHWEST TO THE NORTHEAST MONSOON WHEN CALMER WEATHER FAVORABLE FOR SMALL BOAT ACTIVITY WILL PREVAIL.
7 .VESSELS SHOULD REGISTER FOR ACCESS TO MSCHOA WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.MSCHOA.ORG/ TO OBTAIN UP TO DATE INFORMATION OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES AND CONDITIONS IN THE REGION.
***
The Maritime Administration is the agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation dealing with waterborne transportation. Its programs promote the use of waterborne transportation and its seamless integration with other segments of the transportation system, and the viability of the U.S. merchant marine. The Maritime Administration works in many areas involving ships and shipping, shipbuilding, port operations, vessel operations, national security, environment, and safety. The Maritime Administration is also charged with maintaining the health of the merchant marine, since commercial mariners, vessels, and intermodal facilities are vital for supporting national security, and so the agency provides support and information for current mariners, extensive support for educating future mariners, and programs to educate America's young people about the vital role the maritime industry plays in the lives of all Americans.
USS Nicholas (FFG 47) captured suspected pirates on Thursday, April 1, 2010, after exchanging fire, sinking a skiff, and confiscating a suspected mother ship.
While operating west of the Seychelles in international waters, Nicholas reported taking fire at 12:27 a.m. local time from a suspected pirate skiff and returned fire before commencing pursuit of the vessel until the disabled skiff stopped.
At 1:59 a.m. personnel from Nicholas boarded the disabled skiff and detained three personnel. The boarding team found ammunition and multiple cans of fuel on board.
After taking the suspected pirates on board, Nicholas sank the disabled skiff at 2:59 a.m.
An additional two suspected pirates were captured on the confiscated mother ship.
The suspected pirates will remain in U.S. custody on board Nicholas until a determination is made regarding their disposition.
Piracy is an international maritime issue that consistently affects the safety and security of the sea. The U.S. Navy works to uphold maritime law in order to prevent an environment conducive to piracy.
Nicholas, an Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate homeported in Norfolk, Va., is currently supporting U.S. Naval Forces Africa. U.S. Naval Forces Africa is the naval component in support of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM).
UPDATE: In separate news, couple of merchant ship evade capture but one suffers a wounded crewman.
UPDATE2: Pirates attacking ships after midnight local? I suspect the moon plays a role -see the sidebar.
See also here for local moon rise and moon set for the Seychelles, from which the following info was taken:
The weather history looks like the weather was mostly clear, so I think with a near full moon, the pirates had good, if not excellent visibility and probably mistook Nicholas for a merchant ship and decided to try their luck.
UPDATE3: Nicholas went pirate hunting according to this:
“CTF 151 (the international anti-piracy task force) had knowledge of three suspected pirate vessels and were able to transfer that information to the U.S.S. Nicholas, and the U.S.S. Nicholas was able to conduct an intercept of the suspected vessels. It was fantastic coordination between coalition and U.S. Maritime Forces,” said Navy Lieutenant Patrick Foughty of the U.S. Naval Forces Africa.
The five suspected pirates are being held aboard the U.S.S. Nicholas until a determination can be made as to what to do with them. There is an agreement with Kenya, in which pirates can be tried there (as Somalia’s government is poorly functioning). If there is enough evidence on the pirates, they will likely be turned over to the Kenyan courts.
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