NATO Warship Sinks Pirate Mothership

[Laidback]

The current pirate activities in the Indian Ocean, Arabian sea, the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea, shows that a radical tactical change has taken place - in that, since late last year, the pirates are now consistently opening fire directly at ships prior to and during the attempt to board, hijack and take hostages.

The merchant shipping in the Gulf of Aden is now confined to two very narrow security lanes, sail boats are not permitted to enter these but have to remain north of them but south of the Yemen 12nm territorial limit.
With the evidence of the methods that the pirates are now employing it is highly unlikely that a sailboat will be able to evade capture from an armed skiff doing 20 knots - the analogy of sitting ducks is relevant.
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For example during November there were 17 REPORTED incidents of Piracy occurring between the 2nd and 16th of that month - although coalition forces were informed in 3 or 4 of them - there is no report of warships actually engaging the pirates during the attacks. Merchant ships were able to use their speed and freeboard to deter boarding in most of the attacks - cruising sail boats would have no such inherent methods of evasion. Irrespective of whether the attacks were successful or not, all were classified as being perpetrated by pirates in the commission of acts of piracy.
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16.11.2009: 1053 UTC: Posn: 08:0.11S - 045:58E, Around 600 nm SxE of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates armed with machine guns attacked, boarded and hijacked a chemical tanker underway. They took hostage 28 crew members. The pirates are in control of the tanker and are sailing her to an unknown destination.
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13.11.2009: 0446 UTC: Posn: 00:42S – 047:58E, Around 220 nm SE of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates in a white skiff armed with guns chased and fired upon a general cargo ship underway. Vessel raised alarm, contacted coalition forces, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres and managed to evade the attempted boarding.
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13.11.2009: 0720 UTC: Posn: 11:26S – 043:42E, Around 810 nm south of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates in two small boats armed with guns chased a Ro-Ro ship underway with intent to hijack her. Ship raised alarm, informed flag state authorities who informed the coalition forces, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres and managed to evade the attempted boarding.
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10.11.2009: 0410 UTC: Posn: 06:33S – 048:14E, Around 540 nm SE of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates in two, skiffs armed with RPG and machine guns chased and fired upon a container ship underway. Ship raised alarm, contacted coalition forces, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres. The pirates continued firing with machine guns and made several attempts to board her. Crew activated fire hoses and master continued with the evasive manoeuvres and finally managed to deter the attempted attack.
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12.11.2009: 0536 UTC: Posn: 14:33N – 054:08E, Gulf of Aden.
Pirates armed with assault rifles in skiffs attacked a bulk carrier underway. They chased and fired upon the ship with intent to hijack her. The ship increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, deployed self protection measures and successfully deterred the boarding. The pirates aborted the attempt at 0832 UTC.
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12.11.2009: 0330 UTC: Posn: 14:36.1N – 054:14.5E, Gulf of Aden.
Pirates armed with assault rifles in skiffs attacked a bulk carrier underway. They fired upon the ship and attempted to board her. The ship increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, deployed self protection measures and successfully deterred the boarding.
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"11.11.2009: 01:05 UTC: Posn: 00:35S – 062:40E: Around 1050 nm east of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates boarded the bulk carrier underway and hijacked it. The pirates have taken hostage 22 crew members and are now sailing the vessel to an undisclosed location.
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10.11.2009: 0200 UTC: Posn: 00:43.7S 061:57.8E, Around 1000nm east of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates armed with RPG and assault rifles in two skiffs chased and fired upon a container ship underway with intent to hijack her. The skiffs approached the vessel from the starboard side at approximately 25 – 30 knots speed and were spotted by extra bridge lookout at distance of 3 nm. At that time the skiffs were not yet picked up on radar. Vessel increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, deployed self protection measures and successfully deterred the attempted boarding after 30 min. Coalition forces informed.
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09.11.2009: 0830 UTC: Posn: 01:09S 061:35E, Around 990 nm ExS of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Several pirates armed with RPG and assault rifles in two skiffs chased and fired upon a tanker underway with intent to hijack her. Tanker increased speed, took evasive manoeuvres, deployed self protection measures and successfully deterred the attempted boarding after one hour. Coalition forces informed. Tanker sustained some damages.
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07.11.2009: 0600 UTC: Posn: 12:37.5N - 47:11.6E, Gulf of Aden.
Six pirates armed with automatic weapons and RPG in a skiff fired upon a general cargo ship underway. Master raised alarm, contacted coalition warship, increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres. The pirates attempted to board the ship using a ladder but were unable due to the ship’s freeboard and evasive action taken by the ship.
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05.11.2009: 0648 UTC: Posn: 13:42.8N – 050:56.1E, Gulf of Aden.
A small speedboat was sighted at a distance of four nm by a general cargo ship underway. When the boat passed the port beam of the ship, it immediately changed course and approached the ship from astern. Duty officer raised alarm, contacted warship for assistance and crew mustered. Master increased speed and took evasive manoeuvres. As the boat came closer, four pirates with guns were sighted. The pirates attempted to board the ship several times. Later the pirates aborted the attempted attack due to the evasive manoeuvres.
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5.11.2009: 0426 UTC: Posn: 09:40.36S – 045:05.48E, 690 nm south of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Pirates have attacked and hijacked a bulk carrier underway. Further information awaited.
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02.11.2009: 0810 UTC: Posn: 03:34.3S – 045:40.1E, Around 330 nm south of Mogadishu, Somalia.
Two skiffs with six armed pirates in each boat chased and fired upon a bulk carrier underway. Pirates were unable to hook their ladder onto the ship’s side. Master increased speed and carried out evasive manoeuvres. Fire hoses activated. After 20 minutes the pirates gave up. Ship sustained bullet holes but no casualties.
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02.11.2009: 1213 UTC: Posn: 07:55S – 047:40E, Around 600 nm SSE of Mogadishu, Somalia.
One skiff with five pirates chased and fired upon a chemical tanker underway while two more skiffs were stood by in the vicinity. Ship increased speed and enforced evasive manoeuvres and moved away. Ship sustained bullet holes.

[speakeasy]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Our eyes in the sky can read the news paper that you pickup from your front lawn in the morning and yet, with all that technology and with the hundreds of hostages that have been released who can describe how they look and smell, and with published photographs of these pirates, we are unable to come up with a list of even a single pirate wanted for his crimes.

Nick.

Yes, it makes one wonder what the hell they are up to, our masters of the universe. They are building up military forces in the area. U.S., NATO Expand Afghan War To Horn Of Africa And Indian Ocean Are they waiting for enough forces on station, or perhaps setting up an entirely other operation? Perhaps it's just old men, overextended, taking a cautious course. But that seems out of character with the last 40 years.

[hellosailor]

It all comes down to motivation. You take the Obama girls out on a sea cruise and announce they've been captured by pirates....And you'll have a combined carrier battle group out there at flank speed, while the drones darken the sun.

You take a dozen Congressmen out on a fact-finding cruise and lose 'em the same way...and you'll have nothing but debates on Capitol Hill for three months while the remaining CongressCritters each want an earmark for their own state and party before they'll commit to sending out a post card.

[Red Mantis]

Originally Posted by hellosailor

You take a dozen Congressmen out on a fact-finding cruise and lose 'em the same way...and you'll have nothing but debates on Capitol Hill for three months....

Well, that and a few dozen gatherings of constituents demanding that their Congresscritters volunteer to go on the next fact-finding cruise...

[fishwife]

Originally Posted by Red Mantis

Well, that and a few dozen gatherings of constituents demanding that their Congresscritters volunteer to go on the next fact-finding cruise...

You could probably sell out all the berths on a cruise liner to watch what happened when they went

P.

[starfish62]

This is a helmet cam video from a Dutch Marine during the retaking of a German container ship. The Dutch were NOT **&#ing around.

Video: Dutch Marine's Helmetcam Delivers Thrilling First-Person-Shooter View of Raid on Pirate-Seized Ship | Popular Science

[speakeasy]

Originally Posted by starfish62

This is a helmet cam video from a Dutch Marine during the retaking of a German container ship. The Dutch were NOT **&#ing around.

Video: Dutch Marine's Helmetcam Delivers Thrilling First-Person-Shooter View of Raid on Pirate-Seized Ship | Popular Science

Things have changed a bit since I was a soldier. The footage of firing at the bridge after repelling down onto the container pile lit up some very old neurons in my brain. I actually thought I was smelling cordite as he fired.

A link from the lower left of that page is also interesting. The Koreans have developed a portable battery for soldiers in the field that is charged with salt water or urine. Someone should figure out a battery bank that could be recharged with sea water while enroute for sailors don't ya think?

A Portable Battery That Runs on Saltwater – or Urine | Popular Science

[Mariness]

Originally Posted by starfish62

This is a helmet cam video from a Dutch Marine during the retaking of a German container ship. The Dutch were NOT **&#ing around.

Video: Dutch Marine's Helmetcam Delivers Thrilling First-Person-Shooter View of Raid on Pirate-Seized Ship | Popular Science

No kidding! The text with it was right - it does look just like a first-person shooter game. Someone should get on it - the "retake a cargo ship held by pirates" genre might be an untapped market!
What was he shooting at at the beginning though - I don't think I saw any other people in frame?

[starfish62]

Wow! I hadn't even noticed that ad. Pretty cool if accurate. I really like the idea of using pee as power!

Originally Posted by speakeasy

Things have changed a bit since I was a soldier. The footage of firing at the bridge after repelling down onto the container pile lit up some very old neurons in my brain. I actually thought I was smelling cordite as he fired.

A link from the lower left of that page is also interesting. The Koreans have developed a portable battery for soldiers in the field that is charged with salt water or urine. Someone should figure out a battery bank that could be recharged with sea water while enroute for sailors don't ya think?

A Portable Battery That Runs on Saltwater – or Urine | Popular Science

[hellosailor]

Ever lay hands on a commercial aircraft life vest? There's a blue plastic pack, about the same size as a 5-stick pack of cheewing gum, hanging form the bottom of the wire that is attached to the shoulder marker light.

SAME CONCEPT. The blue pack gets immersed in sea water (urine would do) and the battery becomes wet and active.

There's nothing new here, all the Koreans have done is to tell their troops "Look, we're too cheap to give you batteries, so we'll give you a dry storage battery and you'd better not use it until you need it, because you're only getting ONE!"

Or they could give them real batteries, that might get sold on the black market,used to play video games, and need a whole logistics chain to keep in date and replaced annually when not used.

OTOH, sticking one of these in an EPIRB instead of forcing a $400 battery replacement every five years would make good sense--if the battery has that much power.

[Bloodhound]

Didn't piracy used to be a capital offense? What ever happened? I'll bet more pirates have swung from yard arms than were ever tried in courts of law. If a tiger is racing across a grassy field headed directly at me I'm not going to ask him, "Are you hungry Mr. Tiger?", but am going to shoot the bugger straightaway. No, I don't advocate shoot first and ask questions later, but if all shipping (not yachts) carried reasonable firearms for protection, and used them when under OBVIOUS attack, a few dozen missing mother ships (and "child" vessels) together with their crews would probably seriously reduce the incidence and attraction of piracy. And please don't give me that standard excuse crap of a country without a functioning government. Maybe time for a reality check: it's a war zone so best go well armed. ... Just my not-very-humble opinion.

[sabray]

Originally Posted by starfish62

Wow! I hadn't even noticed that ad. Pretty cool if accurate. I really like the idea of using pee as power!

Just pissed on my batteries no voltage increase but the boat is starting to smell.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by starfish62

This is a helmet cam video from a Dutch Marine during the retaking of a German container ship. The Dutch were NOT **&#ing around.

Video: Dutch Marine's Helmetcam Delivers Thrilling First-Person-Shooter View of Raid on Pirate-Seized Ship | Popular Science

Totally Awesome...Dutch +1, French +1, British -1, USA Stalemated

[s/v Jedi]

You guys don't understand the commentary?

The shooting before boarding with the MAG and while boarding by the marines is suppression fire so that these cowards piss their pants instead of thinking about shooting back.

You ain't much if you aren't Dutch!

;-)

Nick.

[GeoPowers]

Originally Posted by sabray

Just pissed on my batteries no voltage increase but the boat is starting to smell.

lol!