Danish Yacht Taken by Pirates

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by TOM

Yes but then what happens.

You just wait.



-Sven

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by SvenG

You just wait.
-Sven

For what... a coupla pirates to appear at the bow with a hostage and the statement... "get outa the way or we blow him away..."
You'll still lose the hostages in the ensuing melee...
They're holding the aces....
until the 'Coalition' makes it known to all 'Cruisers' that should they venture into the area they will be regarded as "Collateral Damage" in any action taken...
the stubborn and unintelligent will continue to play with the lives of others...
and here I'm refering to the 'SKIPPERS'....
Its like stating your going to Afghanistan for a two week holiday and demanding a Brigade of SAS as your escorts for the period...
It aint gonna happen.... wake up to the real world guys... Smell the coffee...
your an insignificant statistic in the grand scheme of things....

[Banzai]

My only comment on this whole subject is that the skipper is ultimately responsible for the vessel and everyone on it ..... If you venture where you shouldn't you should be held responsible, not any coalition or government .... YOU!!!!

[TOM]

Originally Posted by SvenG

You just wait.



-Sven

I don't understand ...wait for what ?

[PamlicoTraveler]

Originally Posted by Banzai

My only comment on this whole subject is that the skipper is ultimately responsible for the vessel and everyone on it ..... If you venture where you shouldn't you should be held responsible, not any coalition or government .... YOU!!!!

Obviously this is true - the skipper is responsible. But when very large portions of the world are considered unpassable, there is something wrong.

I can understand that temporarily staying away from the Somalian coast or even the Red Sea is prudent. But when we allow the entire Indian Ocean, 1/5 of the water on the entire earth, to be a danger zone we have given up on the doctrine of the Oceans being free.

Somali pirates now sail more than 1,000 miles from east Africa to find prey. They have extorted more than $100 million in ransom. There needs to be a "war on piracy" or all of our dreams of sailing the world are no longer valid.

[GordMay]

By all means; let’s go to war, to protect the sanctity of a privileged westerner’s “dreams”.
I believe there are better reasons for civilized peoples to enforce the rule of law (in this case, against piracy).

[boatman61]

But Which/Who's Law...
Sharia Law...
Chinese Law...
Russian Law...
N Korean Law...
EU Law... that'll take ages...
Brussels is like that... pay rises for the 'Boys' are their top priority..
pirates somewhere at the bottom...
or the Law that suits us best...
Right now the Somali's are practicing their law...
"We catch... You pay..."

[sabray]

If we can think about no fly zones. Can't we have no boat zones. I'm suggesting that no boats can leave from Somalian ports until the piracy ends and hostages are free. it may be an act of war but given the state seems like a reasonable response. Instead of protecting a corridor you cut it off at the source. Seems like this must have been thought of. Why would this not work?

[perchance]

Doesn't this all boil down to personal responsibility? Would you deliberately put to sea knowing you were heading into foul weather or that there were deficiencies in your boat or equipment that could endanger the lives of you and your crew? It's called gambling and you "pays your money and takes you chances".

[zeehag]

why not just remain far away-- is not a complicated idea. how do you propose to regulate some unregulatabe folks??? just STAY AWAY....

[SvenG]

Originally Posted by TOM

I don't understand ...wait for what ?

For the pirates to realize that they are not getting out of there.

Spell it out to them that safe release of their hostages means they only get a 20 year prison sentence whereas any harmed prisoner is a stiffer sentence and any dead prisoner means life or capital punishment (depending on the nationality).

Don't let them define the rules ! Don't let them reach shore under any circumstances.

Just block them and wait.



-Sven

[zeehag]

question--
how will any attempt at rescuing a family of danish folks not aaffect the existence of 600-700 still in somalia being torturred and held captive on strange soil- wouldnt one give consideration to these souls suffering in somalia?? why is a family with a sailboat more important than these merchant mariners??

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by zeehag

question--
how will any attempt at rescuing a family of danish folks not aaffect the existence of 600-700 still in somalia being torturred and held captive on strange soil- wouldnt one give consideration to these souls suffering in somalia?? why is a family with a sailboat more important than these merchant mariners??

Zee... you tell me... outa sight.. outa mind maybe..
I'll say no more I'm on a very short leash these days....

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Zee... you tell me... outa sight.. outa mind maybe..
I'll say no more I'm on a very short leash these days....

outta sight , outta mind is a fact.... not a guess.. yes, definitely-- world has a very very short memory--only remembers that which the sensationalist journalists feed to us.

[horror scope]

I’ve been following all of this with wonderment for quite a while now. What I’m not understanding is what the multiple national navy vessels are actually doing out there? You don’t hear about “thwartings” rather hijackings and interceptions of hijackings in progress. For the rest of the time where are all these naval vessels and what exactly are they doing?

1. If they are in fact out there “practising” manoeuvres or simply being visible to discourage hijackings even if no merchant or private vessel is in the vicinity, i.e. wasting tax payer fuel essentially floating around aimlessly. How difficult could it be to structure a convoy situation say once per month? Private vessels congregate at a set date each month at a safe harbour before crossing. Obviously up to them to meet that date, or wait out or delay to meet the next months schedule. Then a naval vessel accompanies them for the crossing. Surely this is better resources spent than hanging around the region driving around in circles endlessly? Why isn’t this being done?

2. Better idea. Shark and Big Game Hunting. In the old days hunters and gun fanatics would pay an arm and a leg upwards 10K USD for a hunting expedition to bag a “trophy”. How many gun nuts and wannabe Rambo's would pay to go Pirate Hunting today? Try out their AR-15’s with all the gadgets and magnified sniper scopes. An enterprising co. can setup a 60’ sailing vessel and hangout in the region where paying customers can pick of pirates as they approach. Someone could make an untold fortune. Certainly 100% more productive than slaughtering sharks and big game. Even better simply pretend. Let it be broadcast and printed in Somalia that some companies have setup such enterprises and decoy vessels are now out there armed to the teeth with the most sophisticated armaments in the hands of private individual don’t care or are not constrained by any laws, anxiously and eagerly awaiting any and all pirates. Once can image the trepidation they would have approaching the next sailing vessel they come across.

3. Failing all of that, these private security company as in 1 above. Coordinate a paying convoy. 1000 dollars per vessel X 22 (as some where hear mention of private vessels had planned to make the crossing). What’s the cost of moving the vessel overland if they aren’t sailing? Work out a workable rate is all.

What exactly is going on. Major naval fleets out there, the most sophisticated satellite technology available and boats still being high jacked. Both private and commercial. Being going on now a few years. Why? Too much red tape? The powers that be tut tut and tsk tsking behind their desks, you can’t do this and you can’t do that?

Someone needs to kick it into gear and fast. The situation is now beyond pathetic.