Cruise Ship repels pirate attack

[AmbulanceDriver]

NAIROBI — An Italian cruise ship used guns and a firehose to beat off an attack by pirates off the east African coast, the vessel's captain said Sunday.

Pirates also freed a Yemeni-owned tanker, the Sea Princess II, Sunday, a Kenyan maritime official that monitors growing piracy off Somalia told Reuters.

Commander Ciro Pinto of the MSC Melody, which has a capacity of 1,500 passengers and crew, said his ship was slightly damaged by firing from the pirates.

The ship came under attack when it was 200 miles north of the Seychelles and 600 miles off the Somali coast. "They started firing like crazy at the ship," he told Italian television Skytg24.

Pinto said pistols were handed out to security staff and they opened fire on the pirates when they tried to clamber up the sides of the ship.

Read more here:  http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-world/20080926/INTERNATIONAL-US-SOMALIA-PIRACY/


Don't wanna violate copyright issues, hence the teaser and link...

That being said, here's a bit that I found particularly interesting (ok, it made me sick, but made me chuckle at the same time)...

Although the ship's action may have saved the Melody from capture, the Kenyan maritime official said it only endangered the lives of passengers.

"Having weapons on a passenger or merchant ship is dangerous. They should have used other means to shake off the pirates, like a loud acoustic device," said Andrew Mwangura of the Mombasa-based East African Sea Farers Assistance Program.

Well, Mr. Mwangura, it looks like the only people it was dangerous for was the pirates!  And that having the pistols on board kept the pirates from seizing a ship with potentially 1500 hostages!

[Standing Wolf]

They should have used other means to shake off the pirates, like a loud acoustic device...

Well, yeah. I carry a loud accoustic device on my right hip whenever I leave the house. I'll tell you the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: it definitely generates decibels.

[MechAg94]

This stuff is getting a bit out of control.  I am very surprised there isn't more action being taken by other countries.  Everyone seems to be just happy to pay ransoms.

[geronimotwo]

just another business transaction.  i wonder what the fee is for travelling through panama?

[agricola]

This stuff is getting a bit out of control.  I am very surprised there isn't more action being taken by other countries.  Everyone seems to be just happy to pay ransoms.

The mad bit is that countries are not arming vessels, or putting troops on shipping in the area - and indeed in this case are criticizing the people who do take those precautions. 

I could understand the reason why they wouldnt do this if the pirates were using MTBs or some such where there was a clear disparity of force, but to have a piracy problem like this that features homemade boats, clowns with AKs and RPG and millions and millions of pounds worth of ransoms being paid monthly it is, actually, fairly hard to understand. 

[MicroBalrog]

I note - with a bit of misplaced national pride - the security personnel were apparently Israelis.

[Waitone]

Since comparatively few people die in hijack attempts, PTB (Powers to Be) decided to absorb the cost as an additional cost of doing business.  Kinda like a fuel surcharge.  The pirate's taking costs are sufficiently low as to not worry insurance companies.  Transportation companies aren't suffering with a decline in business and their deductible payments don't affect their operating results.  See, a nice, logical business decision.

Any number of countries could easily end the problem in a few short days.  I suspect one reason it is allowed to fester is to create a problem which can be solved only by all countries adopting the Law of the Sea Treaty.  Time will tell if piracy becomes an excuse to ratify the treaty in the US.

[Monkeyleg]

Where's Jefferson when you need him?

[MikeB]

Since comparatively few people die in hijack attempts, PTB (Powers to Be) decided to absorb the cost as an additional cost of doing business. 

This is exactly the same thinking that led to the 9/11 hijackings being successful. You'd think eventually people would learn.

[Sergeant Bob]

I note - with a bit of misplaced national pride - the security personnel were apparently Israelis.

Because they're the best! 

This is exactly the same thinking that led to the 9/11 hijackings being successful. You'd think eventually people would learn.

Bingo!

[never_retreat]

I think we just need to start baiting them. Take a us flagged cargo ship, load it with marines and pass close to the coast.
Open up on them when they get within range, kill them all sink there boats so word doesn't get back to shore.

Whats that old marine saying.

When it absolutely positively must be destroyed over night call the marines.

[MillCreek]

^^^^ Just like the Q-ships of WW II. 

[HankB]

Since comparatively few people die in hijack attempts, and the PTB (powers-that-be) are normally flying in private aircraft and protected by armed security, so they're never personally affected, PTB decided to absorb the cost as an additional cost of doing business. 

Fixed it.

[Strings]

>You'd think eventually people would learn.<

You don't know many people, do you?

[Matthew Carberry]

...
Any number of countries could easily end the problem in a few short days.  I suspect one reason it is allowed to fester is to create a problem which can be solved only by all countries adopting the Law of the Sea Treaty.  Time will tell if piracy becomes an excuse to ratify the treaty in the US.

There are existing, long-standing treaties that authorize force against piracy by sovereign states.  The Law of the Sea treaty is irrelevent.

[Stand_watie]

I note - with a bit of misplaced national pride - the security personnel were apparently Israelis.

     In the article I read, the cruise line released a statement saying that they hired Israeli, because they had the best private security officers available. This kind of ties into your earlier comments regarding Israeli privatization...I could see a Blackwater style private security firm hiring guys right out of the IDF being lucrative. I hope they can do better than arming them with pistols though.

[White Horseradish]

I note - with a bit of misplaced national pride - the security personnel were apparently Israelis.

I don't think it's all that misplaced. What this made me think of is Switzerland - small country with good soldiers for hire.

[Bogie]

I'm thinking that most of the "pirate vessels" could be run off by one guy with a SAW...
 
Maybe two.
 
So, figure three shifts.
 
Which five of you want to start APS Maritime Security LLC? We'll get Tejster to do the paperwork... And a sizable small-business loan to buy the hardware.
 
Hmmm... Do I HAVE to use FMJ? Or can I mix FMG/Tracer/varmint?
 

[Nitrogen]

Guns?

I thought we were told that all sorts of countries ban any ship with guns on it to dock?

[MechAg94]

Just a small carrier with air patrols around the area could probably locate and destroy many of the pirate boats. 

[Antibubba]

Can you imagine the hostage nightmare of a pirated cruise ship?

[Jamisjockey]

Guns?

I thought we were told that all sorts of countries ban any ship with guns on it to dock?

Which is the truth.   However, the country the boat is flagged in may have reached an agreement with some port countries, or might just be saying to hell with it.

[CNYCacher]

There must be some way to arm a ship and get around bringing the arms in to port. . . drop a cache in the sea to pick up on your way out, or some type of inter-ship arms exchange between incoming and outgoing vessels maybe?

[mtnbkr]

There must be some way to arm a ship and get around bringing the arms in to port. . . drop a cache in the sea to pick up on your way out, or some type of inter-ship arms exchange between incoming and outgoing vessels maybe?

Sounds like a lot of hassle.  In the end, good tactics with non-lethal tools might work just as well and not carry with it the issues of regular weapons.

Chris

[LadySmith]

Guns?

I thought we were told that all sorts of countries ban any ship with guns on it to dock?

Is it possible to tell those countries, "If we can't arm ourselves to protect our people and goods, we simply won't do business with you"?