Three Turkish sailors aboard tank hijacked by Somali pirates
ANKARA, Dec 31, 2009 (Xinhua via COMTEX) --
Company: St James Co/The (STJC)
Three Turkish sailors were among the 26 crew members on board a British-flagged tanker which was hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, Turkish officials said on Thursday.
The 8,000-ton St James Park was seized by the pirates on Tuesday when the chemical tanker was sailing en route to Thailand from Spain, the officials were quoted as saying by the semi- official Anatolia news agency.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Somali Pirates Seize a Tanker and a Cargo Ship
By MARK McDONALD - NYT
Published: December 29, 2009
HONG KONG — A Greek-owned cargo ship and a British-flagged chemical tanker have been seized by Somali pirates as the marauders scored a record number of attacks and hijackings in 2009.
The Piracy Reporting Center of the International Maritime Bureau said Tuesday that pirates operating across the Gulf of Aden and along the coast of Somalia have attacked 214 vessels so far this year, resulting in 47 hijackings. Twelve of those ships, with a total of 263 crew members, are currently being held for ransom by the pirates.
In 2008, according to the maritime bureau, 111 ships were attacked in the region, a figure that itself represented a 200 percent increase from 2007.
The St James Park, a slow-moving chemical tanker bound from Spain to Thailand, issued a distress signal on Monday that it was being attacked in the Gulf of Aden. The owners confirmed Tuesday that the ship had been seized.
The tanker was being monitored by the European Union Naval Force Somalia, which said Tuesday that the ship was being taken toward Somalia. Its crew of 26 was said to include Filipinos, Russians, Georgians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Ukrainians, Poles, Indians and Turks. More!
By MARK McDONALD - NYT
Published: December 29, 2009
HONG KONG — A Greek-owned cargo ship and a British-flagged chemical tanker have been seized by Somali pirates as the marauders scored a record number of attacks and hijackings in 2009.
The Piracy Reporting Center of the International Maritime Bureau said Tuesday that pirates operating across the Gulf of Aden and along the coast of Somalia have attacked 214 vessels so far this year, resulting in 47 hijackings. Twelve of those ships, with a total of 263 crew members, are currently being held for ransom by the pirates.
In 2008, according to the maritime bureau, 111 ships were attacked in the region, a figure that itself represented a 200 percent increase from 2007.
The St James Park, a slow-moving chemical tanker bound from Spain to Thailand, issued a distress signal on Monday that it was being attacked in the Gulf of Aden. The owners confirmed Tuesday that the ship had been seized.
The tanker was being monitored by the European Union Naval Force Somalia, which said Tuesday that the ship was being taken toward Somalia. Its crew of 26 was said to include Filipinos, Russians, Georgians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Ukrainians, Poles, Indians and Turks. More!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Somali Pirates to Release Chinese Ship
Somali pirates say they will release a Chinese cargo ship seized two months ago far off the coast of Somalia.
Pirates say they have reached agreement to receive a ransom of nearly $4 million, and will free the carrier De Xin Hai and its crew in the coming hours.
The 25 crewmen on board are said to be safe. The pirates initially threatened to kill the entire crew if China's navy attempted to rescue them. The Chinese cargo ship was seized in mid-October in the Indian Ocean, some 650 kilometers northeast of the Seychelles islands and about 1,300 kilometers off Somalia's east coast.
This was Somali pirates' first hijacking of a Chinese freighter since Beijing deployed three warships to combat piracy off the lawless Horn of Africa nation.
Somali pirates say they will release a Chinese cargo ship seized two months ago far off the coast of Somalia.
Pirates say they have reached agreement to receive a ransom of nearly $4 million, and will free the carrier De Xin Hai and its crew in the coming hours.
The 25 crewmen on board are said to be safe. The pirates initially threatened to kill the entire crew if China's navy attempted to rescue them. The Chinese cargo ship was seized in mid-October in the Indian Ocean, some 650 kilometers northeast of the Seychelles islands and about 1,300 kilometers off Somalia's east coast.
This was Somali pirates' first hijacking of a Chinese freighter since Beijing deployed three warships to combat piracy off the lawless Horn of Africa nation.
Friday, December 25, 2009
AP Enterprise: Year after warships come, piracy up
By KATHARINE HOURELDThe Associated Press Friday, December 25, 2009; 8:14 AM
NAIROBI, Kenya -- A helicopter fired warning shots toward a suspected pirate skiff, where six Somali men sat among assault rifles, grappling hooks and an aluminum ladder. But before it could be boarded by sailors from a nearby warship, the men threw all the gear overboard.
With little evidence to convict them, the would-be pirates were let go, along with their boat and enough fuel to get to Somalia. Nothing was done to prevent the men from rearming and trying again.
The high-seas encounter last week illustrates how the multinational naval force deployed a year ago to try to stem piracy has had limited success. Experts say the attacks won't stop unless pirate havens inside Somalia are eliminated.
But that goal remains elusive. The U.N.-backed Somali government can barely hold a section of the capital, let alone go after onshore pirate havens. Foreign governments are reluctant to deploy ground forces. More!
By KATHARINE HOURELDThe Associated Press Friday, December 25, 2009; 8:14 AM
NAIROBI, Kenya -- A helicopter fired warning shots toward a suspected pirate skiff, where six Somali men sat among assault rifles, grappling hooks and an aluminum ladder. But before it could be boarded by sailors from a nearby warship, the men threw all the gear overboard.
With little evidence to convict them, the would-be pirates were let go, along with their boat and enough fuel to get to Somalia. Nothing was done to prevent the men from rearming and trying again.
The high-seas encounter last week illustrates how the multinational naval force deployed a year ago to try to stem piracy has had limited success. Experts say the attacks won't stop unless pirate havens inside Somalia are eliminated.
But that goal remains elusive. The U.N.-backed Somali government can barely hold a section of the capital, let alone go after onshore pirate havens. Foreign governments are reluctant to deploy ground forces. More!
Kidnap couple spend Christmas in captivity
Two British hostages being held by pirates in Somalia are facing a Christmas in captivity with no immediate sign of their release.
Paul and Rachel Chandler, 59 and 55, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, disappeared on 23 October in the Indian Ocean.
Somalia's Radio Gaalkacyo said the couple faced daily threats from the pirates who hijacked their yacht.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said it was continuing to monitor the situation "closely".
It repeated its call for the couple to be released.
It also said it was in "close contact" with the Chandlers' family and was offering support.
Radio reports on Wednesday from the coastal town of Xarardheere, also known as Harardheere, said the hostages were facing difficult living conditions while in captivity.
The pirates have previously demanded a ransom of $7m (£4.3m) in a phone call to the BBC, and said they would shoot the couple if the ransom was not paid.
Ransom refusal:
According to the radio broadcast, one of the pirates has said they will give the British government a short period of time in which to organise the ransom payment.
The FCO has previously expressed sympathy for the victims' families, but has continued to reiterate its position that it does not "make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including ransoms".
The Chandlers have previously spoken on camera to warn that their captors were "losing patience" and could kill them.
Their family made another appeal for their release after seeing the footage of them surrounded by gunmen.
Their yacht has since been returned to Portland, Dorset, on board the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Wave Knight.
And Somali pirates have recently increased their operations off Somali waters. The Somali government has called for action to combat the pirates but said it needed support from the international community.
Two British hostages being held by pirates in Somalia are facing a Christmas in captivity with no immediate sign of their release.
Paul and Rachel Chandler, 59 and 55, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, disappeared on 23 October in the Indian Ocean.
Somalia's Radio Gaalkacyo said the couple faced daily threats from the pirates who hijacked their yacht.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said it was continuing to monitor the situation "closely".
It repeated its call for the couple to be released.
It also said it was in "close contact" with the Chandlers' family and was offering support.
Radio reports on Wednesday from the coastal town of Xarardheere, also known as Harardheere, said the hostages were facing difficult living conditions while in captivity.
The pirates have previously demanded a ransom of $7m (£4.3m) in a phone call to the BBC, and said they would shoot the couple if the ransom was not paid.
Ransom refusal:
According to the radio broadcast, one of the pirates has said they will give the British government a short period of time in which to organise the ransom payment.
The FCO has previously expressed sympathy for the victims' families, but has continued to reiterate its position that it does not "make substantive concessions to hostage takers, including ransoms".
The Chandlers have previously spoken on camera to warn that their captors were "losing patience" and could kill them.
Their family made another appeal for their release after seeing the footage of them surrounded by gunmen.
Their yacht has since been returned to Portland, Dorset, on board the Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) Wave Knight.
And Somali pirates have recently increased their operations off Somali waters. The Somali government has called for action to combat the pirates but said it needed support from the international community.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Indian navy thwarts pirates attempt on foreign vessel
NEW DELHI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- An Indian navy warship in the Gulf of Aden thwarted a piracy attempt on a foreign vessel, the Indo-Asian News Service reported Sunday.
The news service quoted an Indian navy officer as saying the INS Godavari got a distress call at 17:30 p.m. (1200 GMT) Saturday that a pirate's skiff was approaching them and it sent a helicopter which fired warning shots at the pirates.
The Indian navy warship also sent a team on board the pirates' skiff and all the materials like ladders used to board ships were seized.
The seven to eight pirates had thrown all their weapons in the sea before they were released, said the report.
The nationality and name of the vessel which asked for help were not mentioned in the report.
This was the second successful anti-piracy operation by INS Godavari in the Somali waters since mid-November, said the report.
NEW DELHI, Dec. 20 (Xinhua) -- An Indian navy warship in the Gulf of Aden thwarted a piracy attempt on a foreign vessel, the Indo-Asian News Service reported Sunday.
The news service quoted an Indian navy officer as saying the INS Godavari got a distress call at 17:30 p.m. (1200 GMT) Saturday that a pirate's skiff was approaching them and it sent a helicopter which fired warning shots at the pirates.
The Indian navy warship also sent a team on board the pirates' skiff and all the materials like ladders used to board ships were seized.
The seven to eight pirates had thrown all their weapons in the sea before they were released, said the report.
The nationality and name of the vessel which asked for help were not mentioned in the report.
This was the second successful anti-piracy operation by INS Godavari in the Somali waters since mid-November, said the report.
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Pirates release Greek vessel near Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The European Union Naval Force said the MV Delvina, a Greek-owned bulk carrier, was released by pirates off the east coast
of Somalia.
The naval force said in a release Friday that pirates seized control of the MV Delvina Nov. 5, taking the ship's 21 crew members prisoner.
The condition of the seven Ukrainian and 14 Filipino crew members following the vessel's release Thursday was not released.
The naval force said the warship Bremen of the European Union Naval Force Somalia is monitoring the MV Delvina until it arrives at its port of destination in order to provide any necessary assistance to the vessel.
MOGADISHU, Somalia, Dec. 19 (UPI) -- The European Union Naval Force said the MV Delvina, a Greek-owned bulk carrier, was released by pirates off the east coast
of Somalia.
The naval force said in a release Friday that pirates seized control of the MV Delvina Nov. 5, taking the ship's 21 crew members prisoner.
The condition of the seven Ukrainian and 14 Filipino crew members following the vessel's release Thursday was not released.
The naval force said the warship Bremen of the European Union Naval Force Somalia is monitoring the MV Delvina until it arrives at its port of destination in order to provide any necessary assistance to the vessel.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
NATO May Deploy Awacs Plane to Fight Pirates, Di Paola Says
By James G. Neuger
Dec. 16 (Bloomberg) -- NATO may deploy an Awacs radar plane to hunt pirates in the seas off Somalia as attacks on merchant ships spread further into the Indian Ocean, the head of the alliance’s military committee said.
Commanders are seeking to back up a five-ship counterpiracy task force with one of the airborne warning and control system surveillance planes, possibly sharing it with the allied International Security Assistance Force fighting in Afghanistan.
“It would not be inconceivable, for example, having a dual use of Awacs maybe located somewhere in the region and being able to perform missions for ISAF and missions for counterpiracy,” Italian Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, the committee chairman, said in a Bloomberg Television interview in Brussels today.
Stalked by warships from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union and countries including Russia and China, pirates operating from safe havens in Somalia are ranging as far as 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) out to sea to prey on merchant vessels.
Pirates struck 147 times off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden during the first nine months of 2009, up from 63 attacks in the year-earlier period, the International Maritime Bureau said. A tenth of the world’s trade passes through that sea corridor.
Somalia’s lack of an effective government after almost two decades of civil war has turned it into a base for gangs that seize commercial ships. Pirates often hold them for ransom, as when they extorted $2.8 million for the release of the 24 Ukrainian crew members of a British-owned bulk carrier last week after a seven-month ordeal.
NATO Task Force
Warships from the U.S., Italy, Portugal and Canada make up the current NATO task force, cobbled together from a group that is normally used for routine exercises and port visits.
Known as “eyes in the sky,” the Awacs are modified Boeing 707s topped with a rotating dome housing radar equipment. NATO’s 17-plane Awacs fleet, managed by crews from 15 countries, is based in Geilenkirchen, Germany.
Use of the Awacs in a conflict zone requires unanimous approval by the 28 NATO allies. It took months for NATO last year to approve the deployment of Awacs over Afghanistan to monitor the increasingly crowded airspace there.
The Awacs request for the piracy mission “has just come in so I would feel the discussion will start the beginning of next year,” said Di Paola, whose committee consists of high- ranking officers from all NATO countries.
‘Not for Free’
“Deploying an Awacs costs money, it’s not for free,” Di Paola, 65, said. “There will be some serious discussion up to which point this can be done.”
Di Paola rebutted concerns that there is a lack of coordination between the NATO and EU anti-piracy task forces and solo ships from other countries.
The EU’s six-frigate force may start patrolling further into the Indian Ocean as pirate activity widens, U.K. Rear Admiral Peter Hudson, commander of the EU mission, said in an interview last week.
NATO ships have chased sea bandits as far as the approaches to the Seychelles islands, and the various fleets have working arrangements to divide up their zone of coverage depending on where the pirates are, Di Paola said.
“There is a lot of maritime space over there,” Di Paola said. “The pirates are responding in an intelligent way, moving wherever they think there’s a lack of presence. If NATO forces for a certain period are more concentrated on the Gulf of Aden, this allows the European Union to move away.”
To contact the reporter on this story: James G. Neuger in Brussels at jneuger@bloomberg.net Last Updated: December 16, 2009 07:52 EST
By James G. Neuger
Dec. 16 (Bloomberg) -- NATO may deploy an Awacs radar plane to hunt pirates in the seas off Somalia as attacks on merchant ships spread further into the Indian Ocean, the head of the alliance’s military committee said.
Commanders are seeking to back up a five-ship counterpiracy task force with one of the airborne warning and control system surveillance planes, possibly sharing it with the allied International Security Assistance Force fighting in Afghanistan.
“It would not be inconceivable, for example, having a dual use of Awacs maybe located somewhere in the region and being able to perform missions for ISAF and missions for counterpiracy,” Italian Admiral Giampaolo Di Paola, the committee chairman, said in a Bloomberg Television interview in Brussels today.
Stalked by warships from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the European Union and countries including Russia and China, pirates operating from safe havens in Somalia are ranging as far as 1,000 miles (1,609 kilometers) out to sea to prey on merchant vessels.
Pirates struck 147 times off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Aden during the first nine months of 2009, up from 63 attacks in the year-earlier period, the International Maritime Bureau said. A tenth of the world’s trade passes through that sea corridor.
Somalia’s lack of an effective government after almost two decades of civil war has turned it into a base for gangs that seize commercial ships. Pirates often hold them for ransom, as when they extorted $2.8 million for the release of the 24 Ukrainian crew members of a British-owned bulk carrier last week after a seven-month ordeal.
NATO Task Force
Warships from the U.S., Italy, Portugal and Canada make up the current NATO task force, cobbled together from a group that is normally used for routine exercises and port visits.
Known as “eyes in the sky,” the Awacs are modified Boeing 707s topped with a rotating dome housing radar equipment. NATO’s 17-plane Awacs fleet, managed by crews from 15 countries, is based in Geilenkirchen, Germany.
Use of the Awacs in a conflict zone requires unanimous approval by the 28 NATO allies. It took months for NATO last year to approve the deployment of Awacs over Afghanistan to monitor the increasingly crowded airspace there.
The Awacs request for the piracy mission “has just come in so I would feel the discussion will start the beginning of next year,” said Di Paola, whose committee consists of high- ranking officers from all NATO countries.
‘Not for Free’
“Deploying an Awacs costs money, it’s not for free,” Di Paola, 65, said. “There will be some serious discussion up to which point this can be done.”
Di Paola rebutted concerns that there is a lack of coordination between the NATO and EU anti-piracy task forces and solo ships from other countries.
The EU’s six-frigate force may start patrolling further into the Indian Ocean as pirate activity widens, U.K. Rear Admiral Peter Hudson, commander of the EU mission, said in an interview last week.
NATO ships have chased sea bandits as far as the approaches to the Seychelles islands, and the various fleets have working arrangements to divide up their zone of coverage depending on where the pirates are, Di Paola said.
“There is a lot of maritime space over there,” Di Paola said. “The pirates are responding in an intelligent way, moving wherever they think there’s a lack of presence. If NATO forces for a certain period are more concentrated on the Gulf of Aden, this allows the European Union to move away.”
To contact the reporter on this story: James G. Neuger in Brussels at jneuger@bloomberg.net Last Updated: December 16, 2009 07:52 EST
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Somali Pirates Hijack Indian Dhow Off The Horn Of Africa
Mogadishu, Somalia (AHN) - Somali pirates have seized yet another vessel off the Horn of Africa coast. The latest ship to fall victim to pirates is an Indian dhow.
Authorities confirmed the the hijacking on Monday but said the Laxmi Sagar was seized on Sunday. According to published reports the vessel operates frequently between Saudi Arabia and the African coast.
This week's recent incident is just another in a every increasing piracy problem off the coast of Africa. The waters off the coast of Somalia has been rife with piracy and numerous vessels from various countries have fallen prey to their attacks and ransom demands.
Maritime officials say nearly 25,000 ships a year use the shipping lines in Gulf of Aden off Somalia's northern coast. Furthermore anti-piracy task forces say the waterway also boasts being the highest risk of piracy in the world.
Somali marine forces recently trained to guard the coast and African Union security personnel captured three suspected pirates on Sunday. Authorities say the case involving the three is currently ongoing and they will likely be tried in Mogadishu. More!
Mogadishu, Somalia (AHN) - Somali pirates have seized yet another vessel off the Horn of Africa coast. The latest ship to fall victim to pirates is an Indian dhow.
Authorities confirmed the the hijacking on Monday but said the Laxmi Sagar was seized on Sunday. According to published reports the vessel operates frequently between Saudi Arabia and the African coast.
This week's recent incident is just another in a every increasing piracy problem off the coast of Africa. The waters off the coast of Somalia has been rife with piracy and numerous vessels from various countries have fallen prey to their attacks and ransom demands.
Maritime officials say nearly 25,000 ships a year use the shipping lines in Gulf of Aden off Somalia's northern coast. Furthermore anti-piracy task forces say the waterway also boasts being the highest risk of piracy in the world.
Somali marine forces recently trained to guard the coast and African Union security personnel captured three suspected pirates on Sunday. Authorities say the case involving the three is currently ongoing and they will likely be tried in Mogadishu. More!
Somali police officers killed by Puntland bomb - Pirates blamed
At least three Somali police officers have been killed by a roadside bomb in the port city of Bossaso in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.
The bomb is reported to have exploded as the police vehicle drove past on a routine patrol.
Puntland has been relatively stable compared with the rest of Somalia but violence has recently increased.
Last month a judge known for his tough stance against pirates and Islamist militants was shot dead.
Many of the pirates who attack ships in the Indian Ocean are based in Puntland. It is also home to people-traffickers who help people cross the Red Sea to Aden.
At least three Somali police officers have been killed by a roadside bomb in the port city of Bossaso in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland.
The bomb is reported to have exploded as the police vehicle drove past on a routine patrol.
Puntland has been relatively stable compared with the rest of Somalia but violence has recently increased.
Last month a judge known for his tough stance against pirates and Islamist militants was shot dead.
Many of the pirates who attack ships in the Indian Ocean are based in Puntland. It is also home to people-traffickers who help people cross the Red Sea to Aden.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Liberian torture victims seeking damages to face ex-President Taylor's son in Fla. courtroom
CURT ANDERSON - AP Legal Affairs Writer
10:45 a.m. EST, December 10, 2009
MIAMI (AP) — Five Africans who claim they were tortured and abused in Liberia when former President Charles Taylor ruled will come to a U.S. courtroom next week seeking millions of dollars from the man they say ordered the atrocities: Taylor's son, Charles McArthur Emmanuel.Emmanuel, also known as Charles "Chuckie" Taylor Jr., was convicted in federal court in Miami last year of violating U.S. anti-torture laws as a high-level enforcer for his father. He is serving a 97-year prison sentence. The five Liberian victims filed a lawsuit against him earlier this year, winning a default judgment in May that leaves only the question of damages for a trial that begins Monday.
"No amount of money could ever undo the wrongs Taylor Jr. committed or fully restore the lives he destroyed," said Piper Hendricks, an attorney for Human Rights USA who represents the victims. " More!
CURT ANDERSON - AP Legal Affairs Writer
10:45 a.m. EST, December 10, 2009
MIAMI (AP) — Five Africans who claim they were tortured and abused in Liberia when former President Charles Taylor ruled will come to a U.S. courtroom next week seeking millions of dollars from the man they say ordered the atrocities: Taylor's son, Charles McArthur Emmanuel.Emmanuel, also known as Charles "Chuckie" Taylor Jr., was convicted in federal court in Miami last year of violating U.S. anti-torture laws as a high-level enforcer for his father. He is serving a 97-year prison sentence. The five Liberian victims filed a lawsuit against him earlier this year, winning a default judgment in May that leaves only the question of damages for a trial that begins Monday.
"No amount of money could ever undo the wrongs Taylor Jr. committed or fully restore the lives he destroyed," said Piper Hendricks, an attorney for Human Rights USA who represents the victims. " More!
Somali Pirates Release Ship and Crew After 6 Months
By REUTERS
Published: December 10, 2009
Somali pirates have released the Greek-owned vessel MT Ariana and its 24 Ukrainian crew members more than six months after it was seized, its owners said Thursday. The owners said the company had paid a ransom to the gunmen holding the ship. The company declined to provide an amount, but a pirate said by telephone that $2.6 million had been paid. Pirates from Somalia have made tens of millions of dollars in ransoms, seizing commercial shipping in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. A multinational naval deployment in the area seems only to have driven them to hunt farther from shore.
By REUTERS
Published: December 10, 2009
Somali pirates have released the Greek-owned vessel MT Ariana and its 24 Ukrainian crew members more than six months after it was seized, its owners said Thursday. The owners said the company had paid a ransom to the gunmen holding the ship. The company declined to provide an amount, but a pirate said by telephone that $2.6 million had been paid. Pirates from Somalia have made tens of millions of dollars in ransoms, seizing commercial shipping in the Indian Ocean and the Gulf of Aden. A multinational naval deployment in the area seems only to have driven them to hunt farther from shore.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Boats call off search in Bangladesh pirate attack
By TOFAYEL AHMED - Associated Press - 2009-12-09 06:53 PM
Four boats returned to port Wednesday after failing to find 16 Bangladeshi fishermen who were thrown into the sea by pirates after their vessel was attacked last week, the boats' owner said.
"My people could not trace any bodies. ... I am just helpless," Salamat Ullah said.
Two other men on the fishing boat who were also thrown into the ocean were soon rescued by another boat. They said 25-30 pirates assaulted their boat in the Bay of Bengal last Friday, slashing some of the fishermen with knives before throwing all of them into the sea.
"The pirates took the boat, fish and nets away from us," said fisherman Shahidullah, who like many Bangladeshis uses only one name.
Police have asked all police stations across the vast coastal region to stay alert for the missing men and boat, local police Chief Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain said Wednesday.
Families of the missing fishermen fear that all have drowned.
"I don't believe I will get good news, but we still are waiting for him," Abdul Kader said of his father, Abu Taher, the leader of the fishing crew.
The survivors said the pirates beat Taher severely and tied his hands before throwing him into the sea.
Ullah, the boat owner, told The Associated Press at a fishing village in Cox's Bazar, 185 miles (295 kilometers) south of Dhaka, that he sent four other boats to scour the sea after the attack, but they abandoned their search and returned Wednesday.
Pirates often attack fishermen in the Bay of Bengal and authorities say they are not well equipped to protect them.
By TOFAYEL AHMED - Associated Press - 2009-12-09 06:53 PM
Four boats returned to port Wednesday after failing to find 16 Bangladeshi fishermen who were thrown into the sea by pirates after their vessel was attacked last week, the boats' owner said.
"My people could not trace any bodies. ... I am just helpless," Salamat Ullah said.
Two other men on the fishing boat who were also thrown into the ocean were soon rescued by another boat. They said 25-30 pirates assaulted their boat in the Bay of Bengal last Friday, slashing some of the fishermen with knives before throwing all of them into the sea.
"The pirates took the boat, fish and nets away from us," said fisherman Shahidullah, who like many Bangladeshis uses only one name.
Police have asked all police stations across the vast coastal region to stay alert for the missing men and boat, local police Chief Mohammad Sakhawat Hossain said Wednesday.
Families of the missing fishermen fear that all have drowned.
"I don't believe I will get good news, but we still are waiting for him," Abdul Kader said of his father, Abu Taher, the leader of the fishing crew.
The survivors said the pirates beat Taher severely and tied his hands before throwing him into the sea.
Ullah, the boat owner, told The Associated Press at a fishing village in Cox's Bazar, 185 miles (295 kilometers) south of Dhaka, that he sent four other boats to scour the sea after the attack, but they abandoned their search and returned Wednesday.
Pirates often attack fishermen in the Bay of Bengal and authorities say they are not well equipped to protect them.
Kenyan courts on legal front line in battle to stop Somali pirates
by Tristan McConnell in Mombasa
Squeezed into the wood-panelled dock, the nine young men wilted in the tropical heat. Overhead a single ceiling fan battled against the crushing coastal humidity that left judge, lawyers, accused and witness sweating in the shabby Kenyan courtroom.
As the suited lawyers for the prosecution and defence parried legalistic blows, a translator changed each half-sentence from English to Somali for the accused men, while Judge Rose Makungu wrote down every word by hand. These sluggish proceedings are the front end of the global fight against piracy.
When suspected pirates are captured by some of the dozens of international warships that patrol the Gulf of Aden and seas off Somalia daily, they are brought to Mombasa to be tried in a Kenyan court.
Agreements signed between Kenya and Britain, the United States and the European Union over the past 12 months, permit the transfers of prisoners, with 107 on trial in 11 cases. A further ten were convicted in 2006 and given seven-year sentences, although the law allows life terms. After Tuesday’s hearing, Oruko Nyarwinda, a smooth Mombasa-based lawyer with matching tie and handkerchief, told The Times that his nine clients were innocent. “These guys had a speedboat with two motors because it bears passengers crossing from Yemen to Somalia. The reason they were carrying a gun is because that place is risky,” he said. More!
by Tristan McConnell in Mombasa
Squeezed into the wood-panelled dock, the nine young men wilted in the tropical heat. Overhead a single ceiling fan battled against the crushing coastal humidity that left judge, lawyers, accused and witness sweating in the shabby Kenyan courtroom.
As the suited lawyers for the prosecution and defence parried legalistic blows, a translator changed each half-sentence from English to Somali for the accused men, while Judge Rose Makungu wrote down every word by hand. These sluggish proceedings are the front end of the global fight against piracy.
When suspected pirates are captured by some of the dozens of international warships that patrol the Gulf of Aden and seas off Somalia daily, they are brought to Mombasa to be tried in a Kenyan court.
Agreements signed between Kenya and Britain, the United States and the European Union over the past 12 months, permit the transfers of prisoners, with 107 on trial in 11 cases. A further ten were convicted in 2006 and given seven-year sentences, although the law allows life terms. After Tuesday’s hearing, Oruko Nyarwinda, a smooth Mombasa-based lawyer with matching tie and handkerchief, told The Times that his nine clients were innocent. “These guys had a speedboat with two motors because it bears passengers crossing from Yemen to Somalia. The reason they were carrying a gun is because that place is risky,” he said. More!
Indian Navy Prevents Pirate Attack in Gulf of Aden
AP-Monday, December 07, 2009
NEW DELHI — The Indian navy said Monday it thwarted a pirate attack on a Norwegian tanker in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia.
An Indian warship patrolling the seas responded to a distress call from the tanker belonging to the Nordic American Tanker Company after it was fired upon by pirates, said P.V.S. Satish, the navy spokesman in New Delhi.
A helicopter immediately took off from the warship and foiled the pirates' attempt, Satish said. Other details were not immediately available.
The Gulf of Aden is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, crossed by 20,000 vessels a year, and a prime target for Somali pirates.
Indian warships have been escorting merchant ships as part of anti-piracy surveillance in the area since last year.
AP-Monday, December 07, 2009
NEW DELHI — The Indian navy said Monday it thwarted a pirate attack on a Norwegian tanker in the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Somalia.
An Indian warship patrolling the seas responded to a distress call from the tanker belonging to the Nordic American Tanker Company after it was fired upon by pirates, said P.V.S. Satish, the navy spokesman in New Delhi.
A helicopter immediately took off from the warship and foiled the pirates' attempt, Satish said. Other details were not immediately available.
The Gulf of Aden is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, crossed by 20,000 vessels a year, and a prime target for Somali pirates.
Indian warships have been escorting merchant ships as part of anti-piracy surveillance in the area since last year.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Int'l Maritime Orgamization:
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS
Recommendations to Governments for preventing and suppressing piracy
and armed robbery against ships
PIRACY AND ARMED ROBBERY AGAINST SHIPS
Recommendations to Governments for preventing and suppressing piracy
and armed robbery against ships
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Pirates Holding 11 Ships, 264 Sailors Off Somalia (Update1)
By Sarah McGregor
Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Pirates operating off Somalia’s coast are holding 11 ships and 264 sailors, said Rear Admiral Peter Hudson of the U.K.’s Royal Navy, commander of the European Union’s anti-piracy mission.
The latest seizure, that of Greek-owned supertanker Maran Centaurus “is illustrative of the problems of protecting and policing an area of the world’s ocean that amounts to one million square miles (1.6 million square kilometers),” Hudson told reporters today in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. “The forces at my disposal do not allow us to close down every single pirate group that operates over such an expanse,” Hudson said.
The 300,000 metric-ton Centaurus was taken by pirates off Somalia on Nov. 29 while heading to the U.S. from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, EU Navfor, as the naval mission is known, said in a statement posted on its Web site yesterday. The tanker is believed to be heading toward the Somali coast, Hudson said.
The vessel and its 28-man crew from Greece, the Philippines, Ukraine and Romania, were captured in the Somali Basin about 600 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles, EU Navfor said.
Maran Centaurus is owned by Anangel Shipping Enterprises SA, according to Lloyd’s Register-Fairplay data on Bloomberg.
“What we have seen are vessels going ever further off the coast as we see a reduction off the Gulf of Aden, a reduction close to Somalia. The forces that we have at our disposal see the pirates getting more adventurous and having to go further,” Hudson said.
To contact the reporters on this story: Sarah McGregor in Nairobi at Smcgregor5@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: December 1, 2009 08:52 EST
By Sarah McGregor
Dec. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Pirates operating off Somalia’s coast are holding 11 ships and 264 sailors, said Rear Admiral Peter Hudson of the U.K.’s Royal Navy, commander of the European Union’s anti-piracy mission.
The latest seizure, that of Greek-owned supertanker Maran Centaurus “is illustrative of the problems of protecting and policing an area of the world’s ocean that amounts to one million square miles (1.6 million square kilometers),” Hudson told reporters today in Nairobi, Kenya’s capital. “The forces at my disposal do not allow us to close down every single pirate group that operates over such an expanse,” Hudson said.
The 300,000 metric-ton Centaurus was taken by pirates off Somalia on Nov. 29 while heading to the U.S. from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, EU Navfor, as the naval mission is known, said in a statement posted on its Web site yesterday. The tanker is believed to be heading toward the Somali coast, Hudson said.
The vessel and its 28-man crew from Greece, the Philippines, Ukraine and Romania, were captured in the Somali Basin about 600 nautical miles northeast of the Seychelles, EU Navfor said.
Maran Centaurus is owned by Anangel Shipping Enterprises SA, according to Lloyd’s Register-Fairplay data on Bloomberg.
“What we have seen are vessels going ever further off the coast as we see a reduction off the Gulf of Aden, a reduction close to Somalia. The forces that we have at our disposal see the pirates getting more adventurous and having to go further,” Hudson said.
To contact the reporters on this story: Sarah McGregor in Nairobi at Smcgregor5@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: December 1, 2009 08:52 EST
Guyana Fisherman Drowns After Pirates Attack Boat
GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Authorities say a Guyanese fisherman drowned when he fell overboard during a pirate attack and became pinned between two boats.
Police spokesman Ivelaw Whittaker says two pirates armed with a shotgun and machete attacked Satrohan Persaud's boat near neighboring Suriname. He said Monday that the pirates stole fuel, fish and fishing equipment before attacking other boats.
Officials in the South American country have urged fishermen to install radios on their boats to alert police about attacks.
Lawmakers have sought tougher penalties for piracy as attacks on small boats have increased in recent months.
Police say the 53-year-old man died Sunday.
GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Authorities say a Guyanese fisherman drowned when he fell overboard during a pirate attack and became pinned between two boats.
Police spokesman Ivelaw Whittaker says two pirates armed with a shotgun and machete attacked Satrohan Persaud's boat near neighboring Suriname. He said Monday that the pirates stole fuel, fish and fishing equipment before attacking other boats.
Officials in the South American country have urged fishermen to install radios on their boats to alert police about attacks.
Lawmakers have sought tougher penalties for piracy as attacks on small boats have increased in recent months.
Police say the 53-year-old man died Sunday.
Tuna vessel fires back at pirates
A private security team embarked on a Spanish tuna vessel yesterday fired back on two pirate skiffs which then broke off their attack.
According to a Spanish government statement, at 5.40 AM Spanish time, November 29, 2009, Spain's Center for Maritime Surveillance Operations was notified that the fishing OrtubŽ Berria Spanish flag was being attacked by suspected pirates.
The attack was confirmed by telephone by the master of OrtubŽ Berria, who reported the following facts: On November 29th, about 5.37 Spanish time, two skiffs attacked the vessel 230 nautical miles southwest of the Seychelles. The pirates opened fire with light weapons and RPG grenade. After 30 minutes of chase, the attack was repelled by the private security team on board, who made use of their weapons.
Operation Atalanta (TF 465) has sent the Portuguese frigate Alvares Cabral to the area together with maritime patrol aircraft based in the Seychelles Islands.
A private security team embarked on a Spanish tuna vessel yesterday fired back on two pirate skiffs which then broke off their attack.
According to a Spanish government statement, at 5.40 AM Spanish time, November 29, 2009, Spain's Center for Maritime Surveillance Operations was notified that the fishing OrtubŽ Berria Spanish flag was being attacked by suspected pirates.
The attack was confirmed by telephone by the master of OrtubŽ Berria, who reported the following facts: On November 29th, about 5.37 Spanish time, two skiffs attacked the vessel 230 nautical miles southwest of the Seychelles. The pirates opened fire with light weapons and RPG grenade. After 30 minutes of chase, the attack was repelled by the private security team on board, who made use of their weapons.
Operation Atalanta (TF 465) has sent the Portuguese frigate Alvares Cabral to the area together with maritime patrol aircraft based in the Seychelles Islands.
Pirate Exhibit in Norfolk Taps Into Pirate Craze
In seafaring Norfolk, exhibit looks at 'Golden Age of Piracy' and taps into pirate craze
By STEVE SZKOTAK Associated Press WriterNORFOLK, Va. November 30, 2009 (AP)
Growing up on Cape Cod, explorer Barry Clifford was fascinated by the romantic tale of "Black Sam" Bellamy. Sailing to Massachusetts to rendezvous with his mistress, the pirate encountered a nor'easter that sent him, most of his crew, and tons of gold, silver and jewels to the ocean's bottom.
The lore launched Clifford on a life of treasure-hunting — including the discovery in 1984 of the Whydah, Bellamy's treasure-laden three-master, which sank off of Wellfleet, Mass., on April 26, 1717.
"I was looking for treasure, and I found it," Clifford, 64, said. "More treasure than I could have ever imagined. The whole bottom was layered with it." More...
In seafaring Norfolk, exhibit looks at 'Golden Age of Piracy' and taps into pirate craze
By STEVE SZKOTAK Associated Press WriterNORFOLK, Va. November 30, 2009 (AP)
Growing up on Cape Cod, explorer Barry Clifford was fascinated by the romantic tale of "Black Sam" Bellamy. Sailing to Massachusetts to rendezvous with his mistress, the pirate encountered a nor'easter that sent him, most of his crew, and tons of gold, silver and jewels to the ocean's bottom.
The lore launched Clifford on a life of treasure-hunting — including the discovery in 1984 of the Whydah, Bellamy's treasure-laden three-master, which sank off of Wellfleet, Mass., on April 26, 1717.
"I was looking for treasure, and I found it," Clifford, 64, said. "More treasure than I could have ever imagined. The whole bottom was layered with it." More...
Somali Pirates Seize U.S.-Bound Tanker
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN NAIROBI, Kenya — Somali pirates have struck again, this time seizing an enormous oil tanker heading to the United States, naval authorities said on Monday. According to European naval reports, nine pirates hijacked the tanker 600 miles offshore and headed back to one of their notorious lairs in central Somalia.
The tanker is listed at 300,000 tons and may be one of the biggest ships ever taken.
The Somali pirate business appears to be back in full swing after a brief lull this summer that some people mistakenly attributed to the increased naval patrols but in reality was more likely because of the monsoon season. Now that the seas are calm, the pirates are striking with impunity again.
“They have definitely increased their capacity and their ability to stay out at sea for longer,” said Cyrus Mody, manager of the International Maritime Bureau in London. He said this gave them “the reach and the capability.” The pirates, who are often penniless former fishermen from Somalia’s war zones, appeared to be using so-called mother ships to position themselves in the middle of the ocean and attack vessels hundreds of miles away. From the mother ships they deploy motorized dinghies.
The pirates are focusing on the vast stretch of ocean between the African mainland and Seychelles, a set of picturesque islands best known for their beaches. In the past two months, 38 ships have been attacked and 10 hijacked, the International Maritime Bureau said. This continues despite a hefty naval presence, with an average of 20 warships per day cruising off Somalia’s coast.
Still, American officials said, it is not enough. “It’s 2.5 million square miles we’re dealing with,” said Lt. Matt Allen, a spokesman for United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain. “It’s a very large area. It’s a daunting task.”
The pirates seem to have shifted their hunt from the Gulf of Aden, where dozens of ships were attacked in 2008 but which is now heavily patrolled, to the southern waters near Seychelles. That is where a British couple taking the trip of a lifetime were recently hijacked in their sailboat. Their kidnappers have threatened to kill them unless a seven-figure ransom is paid.
Cash like this seems to be drawing more and more Somalis into the business. Piracy used to be dominated by two clans, the Saleban, based in Xarardheere, and the Majeerten, who brought hijacked ships back to a small beach town called Eyl. Now, according to witnesses in Somalia, many other clans are involved, even Bantus, a minority group best known as farmers.
It is not clear who seized the oil tanker, which was hijacked on Sunday, though the news was not released until Monday.
According to European naval officials, the ship is owned by a Greek company and was heading to New Orleans from Jidda, Saudi Arabia. Its crew included Greeks, Filipinos, Ukrainians and a Romanian.
Maritime officials said the ship was similar in size to the Sirius Star, a tanker hijacked last year that was ransomed for $3 million.
By JEFFREY GETTLEMAN NAIROBI, Kenya — Somali pirates have struck again, this time seizing an enormous oil tanker heading to the United States, naval authorities said on Monday. According to European naval reports, nine pirates hijacked the tanker 600 miles offshore and headed back to one of their notorious lairs in central Somalia.
The tanker is listed at 300,000 tons and may be one of the biggest ships ever taken.
The Somali pirate business appears to be back in full swing after a brief lull this summer that some people mistakenly attributed to the increased naval patrols but in reality was more likely because of the monsoon season. Now that the seas are calm, the pirates are striking with impunity again.
“They have definitely increased their capacity and their ability to stay out at sea for longer,” said Cyrus Mody, manager of the International Maritime Bureau in London. He said this gave them “the reach and the capability.” The pirates, who are often penniless former fishermen from Somalia’s war zones, appeared to be using so-called mother ships to position themselves in the middle of the ocean and attack vessels hundreds of miles away. From the mother ships they deploy motorized dinghies.
The pirates are focusing on the vast stretch of ocean between the African mainland and Seychelles, a set of picturesque islands best known for their beaches. In the past two months, 38 ships have been attacked and 10 hijacked, the International Maritime Bureau said. This continues despite a hefty naval presence, with an average of 20 warships per day cruising off Somalia’s coast.
Still, American officials said, it is not enough. “It’s 2.5 million square miles we’re dealing with,” said Lt. Matt Allen, a spokesman for United States Navy’s Fifth Fleet, based in Bahrain. “It’s a very large area. It’s a daunting task.”
The pirates seem to have shifted their hunt from the Gulf of Aden, where dozens of ships were attacked in 2008 but which is now heavily patrolled, to the southern waters near Seychelles. That is where a British couple taking the trip of a lifetime were recently hijacked in their sailboat. Their kidnappers have threatened to kill them unless a seven-figure ransom is paid.
Cash like this seems to be drawing more and more Somalis into the business. Piracy used to be dominated by two clans, the Saleban, based in Xarardheere, and the Majeerten, who brought hijacked ships back to a small beach town called Eyl. Now, according to witnesses in Somalia, many other clans are involved, even Bantus, a minority group best known as farmers.
It is not clear who seized the oil tanker, which was hijacked on Sunday, though the news was not released until Monday.
According to European naval officials, the ship is owned by a Greek company and was heading to New Orleans from Jidda, Saudi Arabia. Its crew included Greeks, Filipinos, Ukrainians and a Romanian.
Maritime officials said the ship was similar in size to the Sirius Star, a tanker hijacked last year that was ransomed for $3 million.
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