Somali Pirates: Indian Navy Reports Capturing 61 Pirates

Indian Navy: 61 Somali pirates caught:

On the night of 12th March 11, at about 2100 hrs INS Kalpeni intercepted a pirate mother vessel called Vega 5 in the Arabian sea about 600 nautical miles west of India. 13 crew members were rescued and 61 pirates have been nabbed.

On 11th Mar 11, a Naval Dornier while responding to a call from MV Vancouver Bridge under pirate attack, located Vega 5 a pirate mother vessel in the area. Seeing the naval aircraft, the pirates immediately aborted their piracy attempt and the mother vessel attempted to escape from the area. Whilst IN Maritime Patrol Aircraft continuously tracked the pirate mother vessel Vega 5, Indian Naval Ships Khukri ( a missile corvette) and Kalpeni (a Water Jet Fast Attack Craft) already deployed for anti piracy patrol, were diverted to intercept and investigate Vega 5.

Vega 5 (IN photo)

On the night of 12 Mar 11 INS Kalpeni closed Vega 5. In the darkness, the pirate mother vessel launched two skiffs which fired at Kalpeni. INS Kalpeni responded with limited firing. Thereafter it was observed that a fire had broken out on Vega 5 (mother vessels are known to carry additional fuel drums to fuel the skiffs). Personnel were also seen jumping overboard. INS Kalpeni in conunction with INS Khukri recovered 74 personnel comprising 61 pirates and 13 members of the original crew of the fishing vessel. Preliminary investigations revealed that the pirates were carrying about 80 to 90 small arms/rifles and a few heavier weapons (likely to be RPGs).

Indian naval personnel and captive pirates (IN photo)

Vega 5, a Mozambique flagged fishing vessel was hijacked on 28 Dec 10 and has thereafter been used as 'mother vessel' for piracy operations. This vessel had been a risk to international shipping for last four months and has carried out several attacks.

Naval ships and aircraft are presently in the area searching for any other fishermen/pirates.

UPDATE: Arrest of these pirates gives rise to threat from at least one one other Somali pirate:

A self-described pirate in Somalia who gave his name as Bile Hussein said the arrests will lead to "trouble" for Indian sailors and ships.

"They better release them, considering their people traveling in the waters, or we shall jail their people like that," he said. "We are first sending a message to the Indian government of releasing our friends in their hands or else they have to be ready for their citizens to be mistreated in the near future."

Idiot.

Somali Pirates: Clearance Sale

Somali pirates seem to be overstocked on captured ships and are have a "deep discount" fire sale, as set out in Somali pirates cut ransoms to clear hijacked ships:

Armed pirate gangs, who have made millions of dollars capturing ships as far south as the Seychelles and eastwards towards India, said they were holding too many vessels and needed a quicker handover to generate more income.

"I believe there is no excuse for taking high ransoms. At least each of our groups holds ships now," pirate Hussein told Reuters from Hobyo on the Somalian coast. He said the pirates were holding more than 30 ships at the moment.

My idea of what a "fire sale" should look like for the pirates

"We have lowered the ransom only for the ships we have used to hijack other ships. We sometimes release these ships free of charge for they generate more (money). But we shall not lower the ransom for the bulk ships we are sure can bring bulk money."

Isn't that special?

Fearless Navy Bloggers Take to the Air: 2nd Quarter Update

Join us this afternoon (5pm at the new 5pm) for Midrats on BlogTalkRadio:

The military's response to the Japanese earthquake, turmoil in the Arab world, gas prices spiking, China's military coming out of the shadows, and START treaties are bouncing around. Could there be a better time for a full hour with one of our regular guest, Mackenzie Eaglen., Research Fellow for National Security Studies, Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation? I don't think so.

Listen to internet radio with Midrats on Blog Talk Radio

Somali Pirates: Released Ship Sinking -Crew Rescued

Odd events from a ship recently turned loose by Somali pirates after 332 days of being held, as reported at EU NAVFOR and Italian Navy Rescue Crew of Pirated Vessel:

On the morning of 9 March, marine authorities received a distress call from the MV ARAK AFRIKANA stating that they were taking on large amounts of water due to what was described as a ‘hole in the hull’. The vessel had been released from pirate control only hours earlier.

The EU NAVFOR warship SPS CANARIAS was immediately sent to assist the stricken vessel and was later joined by the Italian warship ITS ZEFFIRO which arrived first and carried out the rescue operation. The master of the vessel stated that the ship would probably sink in about 5 hours. 25 crewmembers abandoned the RAK AFRIKANA and took to the lifeboats. The crew were rescued by Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat (RHIB) from the Italian warship shortly afterward. The SPS CANARIAS resumed her Counter-Piracy duties once the situation was resolved.

The RAK AFRIKANA was pirated on 11 April 2010. There is no information on the cause of the damage that led to the distress call. The rescued crew members are reported to be in satisfactory condition considering that they have been held captive for the last 332 days. It is not known if the RAK AFRIKANA is still afloat at this time.

The rescue operation was coordinated by the EU NAVFOR Headquarters in the UK and needed close cooperation with the Italian Navy to ensure a safe and successful outcome.

Intentionally holed by the pirates or just a lack of maintenance for a year? A convoluted report here:

The RAK Afrikana is a 30-year-old cargo ship, small as ships go at about 8,000 tonnes DWT, flying what is called an "open register" flag, or Flag of Convenience (FOC).

But this vessel is basically an ageing rust bucket surviving on the deficiencies in this system of "anything that goes flags". In this case, St Vincent & Grenadines, which just happens to also be blessed with a Governor General and a Queen, both from England, thank you very much.

But not British enough to send the British Navy, sure. She was based in Ras Al Khaimah, part of the UAE, where she functioned as a cadet-training ship, preparing young people for a career at sea under the New Zealand marine system, with a link also to BIT, India. ***
Long story cut short, a few days ago, the ransom was paid out, and the pirates abandoned the ship, which was literally on its last legs anyways. The sum is rumoured to be around $1.2 million. A total of 25 of the seafarers onboard were first transferred to an Italian warship, and then again to another merchant ship recently freed, and now headed for Mombasa . . .

Bottom line - wasted away in Pirateville.

Somali Pirates: Attacks and Warnings 10 Mar 2011

From NATO's Shipping Center SOMALIA PIRACY UPDATE 10 MARCH 2011:

March 10, 2011
Latitude: 13 49 N Longitude: 065 21 E
Alert number 117/2011
The pirate action group consists of a mother vessel and two skiffs.The mother vessel is at 1339n 06502e, green and white hulled
***This vessel managed to evade hijack*** The Pirate action group is still in the area.
____________________________________________
March 9, 2011
Latitude: 07 54 N Longitude: 054 20 E
Alert number 116/2011
At 0709 UTC / 09 MAR 11 / a Pirate Attack Group consisting of a pirated dhow was reported in position.

 NATO Warning Map from 25 Feb to 10 Mar 2011:

Somali Pirates: Danes Suggest Sinking Pirate "Mother Ships"

Reported as "Denmark’s ruling party proposes sinking ships to disrupt piracy":

Denmark's ruling party, the Liberal Party, on Tuesday proposed that the Danish navy should be able to sink mother ships to disrupt piracy, the Politiken newspaper reported.

Liberal Party spokesman Michael Aastrup Jensen said that the mother ships are used as platform for skiffs which are used by pirates to attack merchant and other vessels in diverse areas.

Jensen added that the proposal on how to combat piracy will be published on Tuesday. The Liberal Party also proposed that Danish naval mandate should allow to board and confiscate pirates' mother ships.
***
Nils Wang, current Commanding Officer of the Danish Defense Academy, said that a wider strategy is needed for anti-piracy operations in the Indian Ocean than simply chasing pirates.

"There are many different initiatives that have to come into play, and the pirates have to be helped to get back into fisheries," said former officer of the Admiral Fleet Denmark. "The problem is that overall, what is going on in anti-piracy is relatively uncoordinated, and that is a major problem."

Wang proposed that the United Nations sets up a new and efficient coastguard, in which Denmark could contribute. Wang's proposal calls for foreign ships to pay fishing licenses so that Somali pirates can once again work as fishermen.
***

"...{Anti-piracy is relatively uncoordinated, and that is the major problem." Okay - you put your finger on the problem - but who will lead the way to a solution?

The same internationalists who up to now have been wringing their hands and dithering? The crowd that thinks passing a strongly worded UN resolution is the same as doing something?

The same folks who will worry about whether the Danish flag is just too un-PC to go after largely Muslim pirates?

Denmark!

In a neatly related note, Norway has suggested arming its merchant ships to fight pirates, as set out here:

Norway is considering arming Norwegian ships to protect crews from piracy, Industry Minister Trond Giske Friday tells business daily Dagens Naeringsliv.

Giske said he will present proposals Friday for new regulations to combat piracy.

"Mafia organizations are involved in piracy. These are no[t] poor kids who row out and highjack big boats," Giske said.

The Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry calls for regulation on the use of armed guards in accordance with the Ship Safety Act, and the Ministry of Justice has prepared a regulation change that would allow Norwegian-registered ships temporarily to have firearms on board.

"Pirates Again Target Maersk Alabama" - Armed Guard Shots ScareThem Away

Oh, I doubt they knew which ship they were going after, but Pirates Again Target Maersk Alabama:

The Maersk Alabama was targeted again by suspected Somali pirates today, a U.S. official told ABC News.

Maersk Alabama

This is at least the third time pirates have targeted the Alabama, including the famous attack involving Capt. Richard Philips in the spring of 2009.

The official said that four suspected pirates approached the ship in a skiff, and a hook ladder could be seen in the boat. When the skiff came within half a nautical mile, the ship's captain authorized warning shots to be fired.

The pirates continued to approach, and the captain ordered aimed shots, which convinced the skiff to turn around and sail away.

Those shots likely were fired by contracted security on board, something that was added to the Alabama after the 2009 attack.

ABC News suggests that this NATO Update specifies the area of the attack:

March 8, 2011
Latitude: 07 33 S Longitude: 048 48 E
Alert number 115/2011
At 1345 UTC / 08 MAR 11 / a Pirate Attack Group consisting of 1 white skiff with 4 POB with hooks and ladder was reported in position 07 33 S 048 48 E.
The Pirate Attack Group is still in the area

Somali Pirates Harassed by EU Forces

Nisvose VBS team investigating suspected pirates (ENNAVFOR photo)

Press release of EUNAVFOR, here:

On 5th March, an EU NAVFOR aircraft and the EU NAVFOR French warship FS NIVOSE disrupted a suspected pirate whaler off the Somali coast. The whaler was suspected of leading a Pirate Action Group (PAG) at the time of the incident.

On the morning of 4th March, a merchant vessel reported being chased by one skiff about 350 Nautical Miles south of Mogadishu. In response, the EU NAVFOR warship FS NIVOSE was immediately ordered to locate and disrupt the suspected PAG responsible for the incident. In addition, the EU NAVFOR Maritime Patrol Reconnaissance Aircraft (MPRA) which is supplied by Luxembourg and based in The Seychelles was also dispatched to join the hunt. The aircraft located the suspected PAG, consisting of a whaler-type open boat, soon after and guided the FS NIVOSE to intercept. There were no attack skiffs found in the vicinity of the whaler.

Upon finding the whaler, the FS NIVOSE launched its helicopter which was forced to fire warning shots ahead of the vessel to force the suspected pirates to stop. The crew of the whaler had already been filmed by the MPRA throwing equipment overboard. The French warship launched its boarding team to intercept the whaler and 3 suspected pirates were found on board. Apart from a large number of fuel barrels, no pirate related equipment was discovered.

As there was insufficient evidence to pursue a prosecution, the three suspected pirates were returned to the whaler. Most of the fuel was confiscated but they were left with enough fuel, food and water to reach the Somali coast.

I wonder why they just didn't make sure the pirates had some paddles and confiscate their engine while they were at it.

Oh, and Luxembourg? As noted here:

Some might be confused with the mention of Luxembourg providing MPA - they are apparently using modified, leased CAE Aviation Swearingen Merlin III aircraft based in the Seychelles. These aircraft appear to be equipped with the WESCAM™ MX-20 Sensor System

UPDATE: More information on the Merlin III from Bruxelle2, a French language blog devoted to EU foreign policy and European defense. The planes and crews of these patrol are "leased" by the Duchy of Luxembourg (no small expense for a tiny county) to conduct anti-piracy patrols out of the Seychelles.

Somali Piracy Going International?

A senior U.S. diplomat says here:

Piracy in the Red Sea may be becoming a "multinational" business with Yemenis joining Somalis in the lucrative crime, a senior U.S. official said on Monday.

"We are also seeing ... perhaps a new business model occurring in the Red Sea and things that we have traditionally labelled exclusively Somali piracy may in fact be multinational piracy," the top U.S. diplomat for Africa, Johnnie Carson, said.

Pirates involved in last month's killing of four American hostages on a yacht seized near Somalia were both Somalis and Yemenis, while Yemenis were on board a pirate ship recently captured by a Danish warship, he said.

"We may be seeing a situation, as yet unconfirmed, where we have individuals from several nations on the periphery, from states that are not governed well ... being involved in piracy," Assistant U.S. Secretary of State Carson told reporters in London.
***
But Carson said the problem of Somali piracy would not be resolved on the high seas. "We recognize that the area of the Red Sea is enormous and that you can put hundreds of boats out there," he said.

The problem could only be resolved "by ending the impunity that exists on land. It will only be resolved when Somalia has a government with a security force, a police apparatus, a court system and laws that allow it to prevent and prosecute pirates who seek to carry out activities offshore," he said.

Well, it might have helped to have jumped firmly on this problem several years ago, before it exploded into something that has a "business model" tied to it.

Since that didn't happen, now the problem requires "a little less talk and a lot more action."

"Feckless inaction on piracy"

From the Kansas City Star, "Feckless inaction on piracy":

The Obama administration put out a disturbingly weak statement last week after the latest piracy outrage off the coast of Somalia. Four Americans vacationing on a 58-foot yacht died during a standoff between a U.S. warship and the pirate crew that seized their vessel.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called the act deplorable, which it was, but what did she urge? More “decisive action” by the “international community,” which has been largely ineffective so far.

The United Nations Security Council adopted an anti-piracy measure more than two years ago. It created a 28-nation entity to deal with the problem and permitted attacks on the pirates’ land bases.

Certainly when Americans are endangered, Washington shouldn’t wait for the U.N. to engage in “decisive action.” That said, the problem is a knotty one because some authorities believe the pirates could be holding several hundred hostages awaiting ransom at their land bases.

Several nations have warships patrolling the area, but as is usual with U.N. efforts there’s little coordination.

Even so, pirate gangs operate at sea from small vessels served by “mother ships.” In the case of the slain Americans, the mother ship was believed to be a Yemeni fishing boat.

The Navy would begin sending the right message if it began interdicting suspected pirate vessels and sinking them if they refuse to surrender. Any pirates captured should be held for trial.

The East Africa piracy problem has festered far too long, mainly because the “international community” has chosen to do nothing effective about it — inaction that has endangered the lives of innocent travelers.

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/02/28/2688868/the-stars-editorial-feckless-inaction.html#ixzz1FuyKi460

We used to refer to "calls for action" as "kicking the can down the road," a clear sign that nothing was about to change in a hurry.

I guess the good news is that ship owners and operators are beginning to engage, in a serious way (and in growing numbers), armed private contractors to defend their ships and crews instead of waiting for government action.

UPDATE: It might also help if the U.S. Navy had a number of ships that were better suited to the interdiction and monitoring of boats and ships off Somalia. See here and the links therein for some thoughts on how to build a sizable small ship anti-pirate force in a relative hurry.

Drug Wars: Another Drug Submarine Found in Columbia

Reported at The Telegraph (U.K.)Video: Drug submarine seized in Colombia:

According to the Colombian Navy, 63 submersibles have been discovered since 1993, the most recent of which was found in the remote jungle region of Cauca.

Somali Pirates: Unexploded Pirate RPG Round Stuck in Ship Defused As Vessel Nears India

Large Red Arrow Points to Port Sikka Viciinty

An unexploded rifle rocket propelled grenade (RPG) fired a merchant ship during an attack at sea was still stuck in the ship as it neared India. Indian authorities acted to defuse the weapon as reported in "[Indian] Coast Guard, police bomb squad avert major mishap at sea"

A major mishap was averted today following a joint operation of Indian Coast Guard and state police's bomb disposal squad when a rocket propelled grenade thrown inside a cargo vessel by pirates was defused.

The operation was carried out in the vessel MT Agea in the Arabian sea, about 15 nautical miles off the Okha coast in Jamnagar district, coast guard officials said. According to officials, MT Agea, registered in Greece, was on its way to Port Sikka in Jamnagar from Antwerp in Belgium, when it was attacked by pirates, about 400 nautical miles away from Porbander.

RPG laucher and grenade

"The vessel was fired upon with arms and a rocket propelled grenade. One of the grenades hit the accommodation structure and did not explode," they said, adding that the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) regional headquarters at Gandhinagar was intimated about the incident by the vessel.

A bomb disposal squad was rushed to the Okha coast where an ICG hovercraft was kept ready for launch, while at the same time the vessel MT Agea was intimated not to enter Gulf of Kutch and anchor about 15 nautical miles off Okha coast.

Indian Coast Guard Hovercraft

"After three hours of operation, the live rocket propelled grenade was disarmed by the police bomb disposal squad, averting a major mishap at sea. The vessel was then cleared for undertaking her passage to Sikka," the ICG officials said.

UPDATE: The original attack and RPG situation was reported here by the ICC CCS:

Site of attack

Attack Number: 2011/095
Date: Fri Mar 04 2011
Vessel Type: Crude Tanker
Location detail: Around 320nm SE of Ras al Hadd, Oman
Attack Type: Fired Upon
Incident Details: 04.03.2011: 09:22 UTC: Posn: 18:35N – 063:47E, around 320nm SE of Ras al Hadd, Oman (Off Somalia).
Armed pirates in a skiff chased and fired upon a tanker underway. All crew apart from bridge team and unarmed security team retreated into the citadel. An unexploded RPG round was noticed on the deck of the tanker. Effective anti piracy measures resulted in vessel evading the boarding. All crew safe.

Somali Pirates: USS Bulkeley Frees Japanese Ship From Pirates, Rescues Crew

Reported by Combined Maritime Forces as CMF ship USS Bulkeley frees ship and crew from pirates:

USS Bulkeley

A request for assistance from a Japanese-owned merchant vessel in the Somali Basin led to Combined Maritime Forces (CMF) warship USS Bulkeley (DDG 84) securing the release of the vessel and its 24 crew members from four suspected pirates, Mar. 6.

Tanker Guanabara*

At approximately 3.00pm local time, Mar. 5, the oil tanker MV Guanabara reported it was under attack when it was 328 nautical miles south east of Duqm, Oman. Bulkeley, assigned to CMF’s counter-piracy mission Combined Task Force (CTF) 151 was directed to intercept Guanabara, supported by the Turkish warship TCG Giresun of NATO’s counter-piracy Task Force 508.

Following confirmation from Guanabara’s master that the suspected pirates were on board and his crew had taken refuge in the ship’s “citadel”, Bulkeley’s specialist boarding team, supported overhead by its embarked SH-60 helicopter, secured the Bahamian-flagged vessel and detained four men.

SH-60 Helicopter

There was no exchange of fire at any time during the operation to release the MV Guanabara. The decision on what to do with the suspected pirates is ongoing.

CMF’s counter-piracy commander, Commodore Abdul Alheem said,

“The ships and aircraft under my command have today scored a real and immediate victory through the disruption of a suspected act of piracy and the detention of individuals believed to be engaging in piracy.

“Through our mutual cooperation and shared coordination, CTF-151 and our partner organisations have prevented the kidnapping of legitimate mariners who sought only to go peacefully about their business. Today there will be a merchant ship sailing freely that would not be doing so were it not for the efforts of CTF-151.”

*Photo of tanker Guanabara by Erik Azevedo from Shipspotting.com and used iaw the terms of that site.

UPDATE: A Turkish Navy frigate was very much involved in this episode, as set out in Saturn5's TCG Giresun Helps M/T Guanabara .

Somali Pirates at work: Early March Madness

From NATO Shipping Center, a list of early March attacks here::

March 04, 2011
Latitude: 1823N 06341E
Alert Number 109 / 2011
At 1020 UTC / 04 MAR / a merchant vessel is currently under attack by 1 skiff and 1 mothership in position 18 23N 063 41E
The vessel was fired upon by small arms and RPG.
---------------------------------------------------
March 04, 2011
Latitude: 1835N 06347E
Alert number 108 / 2011
At 0922 UTC / 04 Mar / a merchant vessel is currently under attack by 1 skiff in position 1835N 06347E

March 03, 2011
Latitude: 09 59N Longitude: 062 26E
---------------------------------------------------
Alert number 107 / 2011
At 1122 UTC / 03 MAR / a merchant vessel was reported under attack by 2 skiffs in position 09 59 N 062 26 E.
Vessel was fired upon by RPGs and small arms.
***This vessel managed to evade hijack*** The Pirate action group is still in the area.
_____________________________________________
March 03, 2011
Latitude: 1523N Longitude: 05204E
Alert number 106 / 2011
At 0840 UTC a merchant vessel was reported under attack by 2 skiffs in position 15 23 N 052 04 E.
4 POB each skiff. MV was fired upon by small arms.
***This vessel managed to evade hijack***
The Pirate action group is still in the area.
__________________________________________
March 03, 2011
Latitude: 1731N Longitude: 05732E
Alert number 105 / 2011
At 0615 UTC a Pirate Action Group consisting of 1 Dhow, white and black hull and 1 grey speed boat was reported at position 1731N 057 32E. Weapons were sighted.
___________________________________________
March 02, 2011
Latitude: 12 11N Longitude: 063 58E
Alert 104 / 2011
At 0752 UTC a motor yacht was reported under attack by pirate action group in position 1211N 063 58E
*** this vessel managed to evade highjack ***
The Pirate Action Group is still in the area
_____________________________________________

March 01, 2011
Latitude: 02°24S Longitude: 046°07E
Alert number 102 / 2011.
At 1100 UTC / 01 MAR / a fishing vessel was reported under attack by 8 pirates/2 skiffs in position 02 24 S 046 07 E
Skiffs were reported to have blue and white hull. Small arms and RPG were sighted.

***This vessel managed to evade hijack*** The Pirate action group is still in the area.

The March 2 yacht attack may correlate to the events described at gCaptain:

Private security firm Naval Guards Ltd successfully rescued their Dutch clients on board M/Y Capricorn after it had been overrun by pirates in the central Arabian Sea yesterday. The crew of the 21-meter M/Y Capricorn had contracted Naval Guards Ltd to provide armed escort for their eastbound trip from Djibouti in the western Gulf of Aden, through the Arabian Sea.

***

After a fierce exchange of gunfire between the pirates and the escort vessel, there were no injuries reported on either side, and only minor damage to the vessels themselves. With a clear firepower advantage however, the Naval Guards quickly gained control of the situation and the pirates gave up.

"The pirates are becoming more aggressive”, Jakobssen explained. ”Our team was on board a grey ship with military markings in very close proximity to the Capricorn. These pirates were likely on their way home empty-handed and desperate for whatever they could get.”

UPDATE: Report of another thwarted pirate attack:

According to Lars Steen Rasmussen - the managing director of Nordana, the ship’s owner - this was the first time the company had posted guards on a ship.

“We chose to do it this time because it’s a slow-moving ship and the clearance to the waterline is relatively low,” he said.

Because the ‘Brattingsborg’ is registered in Singapore, it did not require permission from Danish authorities to carry armed guards. However, the Danish Shipowners’ Association is reportedly negotiating with the Justice Ministry for permission to carry guards on Danish-flagged ships.

“The attack failed because the guards returned fire,” said association vice-president Jan Fritz Hansen. “That goes to show how necessary it is that we get an agreement about armed guards in place in a hurry.”

The guards were taken on board as the ship passed through the Suez Canal on its way to India carrying a cargo of steel.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Midgett Nabs Drug Submarine

Cutter Midgett with "Drug Sub" in foreground - US Coast Guard photo

Action took place 20 January 2011, 335 miles off Costa Rica and is reported here:

When law enforcement assets arrive on scene, no movement was visible on the SPSS. Cutter Midgett dispatched a boarding team in its small boat, attempted to hail the vessel in English and Spanish, and knocked on the hull with no response. After three hours alongside the vessel, night had fallen and for the safety of the boarding team it was decided that the vessel board would be delayed until the next day. Suddenly, the hatch atop the central conning tower swung open and hands were visible as one of the crewmembers slowly came out of the SPSS

Cutter Midgett’s law enforcement team closed with the vessel, and ordered all personnel out of the SPSS onto the hull. SPSS crews are known to scuttle their vessels upon evacuation, therefore Cutter Midgett prepared for people to be thrown or to jump into the water. Cutter Midgett immediately put its second small boat in the water, and the two law enforcement teams quickly brought all four SPSS crewmembers safely onboard the cutter.

Once onboard, the SPSS crew stated that the vessel was from Colombia and the purpose of the voyage was to transport cocaine.

The next morning, upon entry into the vessel, an estimated 300 bales of contraband was discovered. The boarding team removed one of the 20 kilogram bales from the SPSS and a sample tested positive for cocaine.

Bosphorus Naval News: Evacuation of Turkish Citizens from Libya by Turkey

TCG Iskenderun escorted by TCG Yavuz photo from Bosphorus Naval News

Saturn5 has extensive coverage of how the Turkish government has taken steps to get its people out Libya in a series of post which are found (and linked to) at The Evacuation Of Turkish Citizens From Libya:

With today's evacuations the number of people evacuated by see increased to 8351. Turkey evacuated approximately 20444 people since the beginning of the crisis.

Turkey has maintained quite a presence off Libya and used a combination of ferries and warships to perform the evacuations and provide security.

Saturn5 has coverage of a Turkish ship stopping a Somali pirate attack, too, here. Turkey's use of its sea power is growing and effective.

In Case You Missed It: "The Decline of U.S. Naval Power"

Mark Helprin on The Decline of U.S. Naval Power:

With the loss of a large number of important bases world-wide, if and when the U.S. projects military power it must do so most of the time from its own territory or the sea. Immune to political cross-currents, economically able to cover multiple areas, hypoallergenic to restive populations, and safe from insurgencies, the fleets are instruments of undeniable utility in support of allies and response to aggression. Forty percent of the world's population lives within range of modern naval gunfire, and more than two-thirds within easy reach of carrier aircraft. Nothing is better or safer than naval power and presence to preserve the often fragile reticence among nations, to protect American interests and those of our allies, and to prevent the wars attendant to imbalances of power and unrestrained adventurism.

And yet the fleet has been made to wither even in time of war. We have the smallest navy in almost a century, declining in the past 50 years to 286 from 1,000 principal combatants. Apologists may cite typical postwar diminutions, but the ongoing 17% reduction from 1998 to the present applies to a navy that unlike its wartime predecessors was not previously built up. These are reductions upon reductions. Nor can there be comfort in the fact that modern ships are more capable, for so are the ships of potential opponents. And even if the capacity of a whole navy could be packed into a small number of super ships, they could be in only a limited number of places at a time, and the loss of just a few of them would be catastrophic.

More missions with fewer ships, fewer people.

Current Navy Status:

Ships and Submarines

Deployable Battle Force Ships: 288

Ships Underway (away from homeport): 148ships (51 % of total)
Ships on deployment On deployment: 119 ships (41% of total)
Attack submarines underway (away from homeport): 32 subs (59%)
Subs on deployment On deployment: 23 subs (42%)

Underway Carriers:
USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - 5th Fleet
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - 5th Fleet
USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) - 3rd Fleet
USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) - port visit San Diego
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) - Pacific Ocean

Underway Amphibious Warfare Ships:
USS Essex (LHD 2) - port visit Sihanoukville
USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) - 5th Fleet
USS Boxer (LHD 4) - port visit Pearl Harbor
USS Makin Island (LHD 8) - Pacific Ocean

Aircraft (operational): 3700+ (Includes helicopters, non-combat capable aircraft)

Navy Personnel
Active Duty: 327,682
Officers Officers: 52,244
Enlisted Enlisted: 270,963

Inactive/Reservists/Other

Ready Reserve: 102,143 [As of 11 Jan 2011 ] consisting of
      (a) Selected Reserves: 64,677
      (b) Individual Ready Reserve: 37,466

Reserves currently mobilized: 5,870 [As of 22 Feb 2011]
Midshipmen: 4,475


Personnel on deployment: 51,902

Navy Department Civilian Employees: 200,886

So, right now, half the fleet is deployed, including 1/6 of the active duty personnel. About 20% of the reserves are currently mobilized.

Several thousand sailors are augmenting Army units in overseas assignments such as Iraq and Afghanistan and are not serving with their Navy units.

On the Mission of the U.S. Naval Institute

 Speaking of pirates - a long time ago when I was young officer (a really long time ago), I first became a member of the U.S. Naval Institute and began receiving their magazine, Proceedings.

Quite frankly, what with a war going on and being really busy trying to learn my job while pretending to lead a division and "manage" assets and stand watches and do day and night underway replenishment, I didn't read every issue. In fact, I must confess that I didn't see much practical application to the articles for a young ensign bobbing about off the coast of Viet Nam.

Over the years, as I had an "on" and "off" relationship with USNI and its publications, I realized one of us had changed. My appreciation of history and tactics and strategy and opinions had shifted. I could find an article by a ship's executive officer concerning trying to apply TQL to the length of a mess line as funny as could be.

Still, I didn't quite get it. When I was invited to blog over at the the USNI Blog, I was surprised. As I wrote in my first post over there, "Now, I’m a long-time fan of Proceedings but it always seemed too remote, too stilted, too brown-nosy to me." The USNI Blog I thought (and I hope I'm right) was a little more immediate, a little more connected and a little looser than a publication that had published Luce and all those long dead guys. But then I noticed that there were young officers and Chief Petty Officers and Petty Officers writing their thoughts in Proceedings. Maybe I'd missed that before, but with regular feature called, "Nobody Asked Me, But . . ." (March 2011 features the thoughts of a real live ensign!) well, this was not grandpa's Proceedings,

In fact, what it was - well, it was living up to the Naval Institute's Mission Statement:

The Mission of the Institute is to provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write in order to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to national defense.

So, there were Air Force guys writing articles and professors and professional military strategists and Army guys and lots of Marines and Navy people. Some of the thoughts were/are good or great, some not so much. But there they were, these people who had "dared" to put their thoughts out there for the whole world to judge and always, or nearly always, linked to "issues critical" to sea power and/or national defense.

In short, people who cared enough to worry over some issue and then worry that issue in the pages of Proceedings in an effort to advance understanding "sea power" and "other issues critical to national defense."

Then there was another institution which I joined, the Navy League of the United States. The Navy League is an advocacy group, with its mission to:

Today, the Navy League’s original mission is focused on two main initiatives. First, the Navy League’s public education efforts are designed to inform the nation, and its political leaders, of the vital importance to the country of comprehensive and fully-prepared sea services. Second, the Navy League, primarily through its councils, provides support for active duty sea services personnel and their families. In keeping with its educational objective, the Navy League also supports America’s young people through successful youth programs, including sponsorship of the U.S. Naval Sea Cadet Corps and the Navy League Foundation Scholarship Program.(emphasis added)

The Navy League has a Legislative Affairs Office. It publishes an excellent magazine, Sea Power which has its own mission:

The principal mission of SEAPOWER - an award-winning monthly magazine - is to educate Congress and the American people about the activities, requirements and accomplishments of the sea services and U.S.-flag Merchant Marine. It also provides a forum for senior sea service leaders to express their views on various topics of concern.

Do you get the difference? USNI is a "forum" for discussion of ideas. The Navy League is an institution of advocacy on behalf of the sea services - to keep them in the public eye.

By now, you might be saying, "So what?" Well, some folks on the board of directors of USNI want to change its mission statement to:

The Mission of the Institute is “to be an Independent Forum advocating the necessity of global sea power for national security and economic prosperity.”

There have already been some pretty good posts put up by my fellow Navy bloggers and real experts about the oxymoronic "Independent forum" that has a directed mission "advocating the necessity" (see Information Dissemination'sUnited States Naval Institute: An Open Letter From Norman Polmar and
Steeljaw Scribe - When Does Advocacy Become Lobbying… and CDR Salamander's post and the links therein).

For a good time, you might want to read Steeljaw's USNI Ballot: Incompetence is One Thing — Deceit is Another.

All of which is a long way around to advising those of you who are members of USNI to ignore the flawed paper ballot that accompanies your mailed magazines and vote online against this mission change - and the board directors who have pushed it. The names of these individuals are set out in another "open letter" at Information Dissemination United States Naval Institute: An Open Letter From VADM Bob Dunn which also lets you know how to go about voting by avoiding the confusing straight ticket vote offered as the first option on line.

And, assuming you are otherwise eligible, you can join the Navy League of the United States and support their advocacy and education mission here.

Somali Pirates: U.S. Senator Proposes Legislation for Counter Piracy

U.S. Senator Mark Kirk (R. IL) has some suggestions on fighting Somali pirates, as set out in a press release from his office:  Kirk to Advance Anti-Piracy Legislation in Wake of Slaying of Four Americans on Arabian Sea:

In the wake of the killings of four Americans last week, U. S. Senator Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) drew attention Monday to a recent New York Times report detailing the escalating threat to the international shipping industry from increasingly demanding and violent Somali pirates.

Senator Kirk said he will advance anti-piracy legislative options to safeguard U.S. economic and security interests off the coast of east Africa.

“The murder of four Americans shows the requirement for a tough response to Somali pirates,” Senator Kirk said. “This is a growing problem, not only victimizing innocent Americans handing out bibles, but also the safe passage of oil-filled tankers bound for the United States.”
***
Senator Kirk said he is studying the advancement of several anti-piracy legislative options, including but not limited to, establishment of:

•A ‘Pirate Exclusion Zone’ that would allow the immediate boarding and/or sinking of any vessel from Somalia not approved and certified for sea by allied forces;


•An Expedited Legal Regime permitting trial and detention of pirates captured on the high seas;


•Blockade of pirate-dominated ports like Hobyo, Somalia.


•Broad powers and authority to on-scene commanders to attack or arrest pirates once outside Somalia’s 12-mile territorial limit, including the sinking of vessels if a local commander deems it warranted.

Through his position on the Senate Banking Committee, Senator Kirk will explore financial links between pirates and the terrorist groups al Shabaab and IQIM, and target pirates with financial sanctions in the same way as other terrorist networks. (emphasis added)

It should be noted that Sen. Kirk is also a U.S. Navy Reservist according to his biography.

Update: NPR report on legal issues in trials of pirates-



An interesting look at prosecuting pirates at The United States Must Prosecute Pirates from the National Security Law Brief site (and a hat tip them for the NPR link):

The recent deaths of four Americans at the hands of Somali pirates is leading military and legal scholars to question the ways in which the United States and the world community attempt to prosecutes pirates. The recent standoff involved Somali pirates shooting a rocket propelled [grenade] at Pirates hijack yacht with four Americans on board naval forces and abruptly firing on board a vessel in which they had four Americans as hostages. By the time special forces arrived on deck two hostages were already dead and the remaining two died shortly thereafter.

Somali Pirates: Hijack Danish Family Including 3 Children

BBC reports Somali pirates 'seize Danish children' in Indian Ocean:

Three Danish children and their parents have been snatched by pirates who hijacked their sailing boat in the Indian Ocean, Danish officials say.

Denmark's foreign ministry said the children were aged between 12 and 16, and that two Danish crew members were also captured during the attack.

Pirates seized the boat on 24 February and were said to be heading to Somalia.
***
The foreign ministry told the AP news agency that the ship sent a distress signal on Thursday: "It has now been confirmed that the sailboat was hijacked by pirates."

The Danes are be the second group of non-commercial sailors seized by pirates in recent weeks.

This is not the time to debate the wisdom of sailing into a known danger zone with your family. Instead, the discussion ought to be about whether the pirates have enough compassion to free the family and, if they don't, what steps need to be taken to (a) get the family released alive or (b) punitive measures to be employed if any harm is done to these and other hostage.