Author Topic: Pirates seize French cruise ship (Read 68292 times)

Manedwolf · « **on:** April 04, 2008, 08:40:02 AM »

I guess the surrender jokes work, here...

Quote

Pirates Seize Control of French Cruise Ship Off Coast of Somalia

Friday , April 04, 2008

PARIS
Pirates seized control of a French cruise ship Friday off the coast of Somalia, France's Foreign Ministry said.

A ministry official said details about the attack were scarce, and it was not clear how many crew members were on board the ship or if there were any passengers.

The ship is in the high seas in the Gulf of Aden, off the coast of Somalia in the Indian Ocean.

The official declined to identify the vessel or its owner.

The ministry has set up a crisis center to deal with the situation, said the official, who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Pirates seized more than two dozen ships off the Somali coast last year.

The U.S. Navy has led international patrols to try to combat piracy in the region. Last year, the guided missile destroyer USS Porter opened fire to destroy pirate skiffs tied to a Japanese tanker.

Wracked by more than a decade of violence and anarchy, Somalia does not have its own navy and a transitional government formed in 2004 with U.N. help has struggled to assert control.

The International Maritime Bureau, which tracks piracy, said in its annual report earlier this year that global pirate attacks rose by 10 percent in 2007, marking the first increase in three years.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,346449,00.html

The Annoyed Man · « **Reply #1 on:** April 04, 2008, 09:55:18 AM »

And, not surprisingly, it's discouraged for crews to be armed. Heck, I bet even a cruise ship could have something nasty hidden away just for those circumstanses...

Bigjake · « **Reply #2 on:** April 04, 2008, 10:01:35 AM »

If there were a decent enough bounty, I'd look into rigging up a Q ship myself...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_ship

Imagine their faces when approaching a big luxury yacht only to see the deckhands pull the tarps off a few M2's and a bofors gun.

280plus · « **Reply #3 on:** April 04, 2008, 10:27:02 AM »

Quote from: Bigjake on April 04, 2008, 09:01:35 AM

If there were a decent enough bounty, I'd look into rigging up a Q ship myself...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_ship

Imagine their faces when approaching a big luxury yacht only to see the deckhands pull the tarps off a few M2's and a bofors gun.

I'm in, as long as I get Ma Deuce! grin

The Annoyed Man · « **Reply #4 on:** April 04, 2008, 10:29:23 AM »

Quote from: Bigjake on April 04, 2008, 09:01:35 AM

If there were a decent enough bounty, I'd look into rigging up a Q ship myself...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Q_ship

Imagine their faces when approaching a big luxury yacht only to see the deckhands pull the tarps off a few M2's and a bofors gun.

I'm in! I don't have any training on military hardware, but I'm sure I could figure out how to run a Ma Deuce grin

.

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #5 on:** April 04, 2008, 10:41:27 AM »

I GET THE BOFORS!!!!! grin

HankB · « **Reply #6 on:** April 04, 2008, 11:17:43 AM »

[crappy French accent]
"Mon Ami, for anniversary, can ve go on zee ocean cruize? Eet voud be SO romantic"

"Mon Cheri, but of course . . . shall ve go to, say, Somalia?"

"Fantastique! I haf alvays vonted to see the lovely Somali coast!"[/crappy French accent] rolleyes

Jamisjockey · « **Reply #7 on:** April 04, 2008, 11:22:13 AM »

Quote from: The Viking on April 04, 2008, 08:55:18 AM

And, not surprisingly, it's discouraged for crews to be armed. Heck, I bet even a cruise ship could have something nasty hidden away just for those circumstanses...

In many ports and waters its illegal. Maritime law frowns upon it from what I understand as well.
Watched an interesting show on History on it, not too long ago, where some companies are using blackwater type contractors to protect more sensitive cargoes through riskier waters, though.

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #8 on:** April 04, 2008, 11:35:18 AM »

I do have to imagine the "oh s$@#!" reaction from the pirates though when a seemingly innocent vessel pops up a Bofors. Lessee. Pirates, armed with AK variants and maybe RPG-7's. Seemingly Innocent Vessel, armed with a Bofors and a sprinkling of Ma-Deuces.

Hrm. RPG-7, max range is ~900 meters... Bofors, max range... ~7000 meters... And that's in an anti-aircraft attitude. Used as a surface to surface weapon, somewhat longer range..... Warn the pirates away with a couple of bursts from the .50's, and if that doesn't work, open up with the Bofors.... Bet ya the pirate problem would rapidly disappear.....

Manedwolf · « **Reply #9 on:** April 04, 2008, 11:39:32 AM »

Quote from: AmbulanceDriver on April 04, 2008, 10:35:18 AM

Warn the pirates away with a couple of bursts from the .50's, and if that doesn't work, open up with the Bofors.... Bet ya the pirate problem would rapidly disappear.....

Nah. Take out all the boats but one at distance. Hose on that one a bit (maybe with tracers) but leave the helm intact, so they can limp home and warn the other pirates that it's not worth it.

THAT would end the problem.

charby · « **Reply #10 on:** April 04, 2008, 11:50:34 AM »

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #11 on:** April 04, 2008, 11:50:54 AM »

works for me

Manedwolf · « **Reply #12 on:** April 04, 2008, 11:53:40 AM »

Actually, a "reproduction" carronade would be remarkably effective against small vessels with a grapeshot load. Those would be legal, right? cheesy

It's just decor, normally. But throw in a few pounds of powder and a cannister of bearings...

charby · « **Reply #13 on:** April 04, 2008, 11:57:30 AM »

sink these guys too

charby · « **Reply #14 on:** April 04, 2008, 12:01:32 PM »

I case you are wondering what their pirate ship is....

The Annoyed Man · « **Reply #15 on:** April 04, 2008, 12:28:26 PM »

Quote from: JamisJockey on April 04, 2008, 10:22:13 AM

Quote from: The Viking on April 04, 2008, 08:55:18 AM

And, not surprisingly, it's discouraged for crews to be armed. Heck, I bet even a cruise ship could have something nasty hidden away just for those circumstanses...

In many ports and waters its illegal. Maritime law frowns upon it from what I understand as well.
Watched an interesting show on History on it, not too long ago, where some companies are using blackwater type contractors to protect more sensitive cargoes through riskier waters, though.

Well, I figure the laws won't change without pressure from various special interest groups, such as lets say, shipping companies...

The Annoyed Man · « **Reply #16 on:** April 04, 2008, 12:31:58 PM »

Quote from: Charby on April 04, 2008, 11:01:32 AM

I case you are wondering what their pirate ship is....

Oh, wouldnt it be absolutly hilarious to blow that floating piece of crap out of the water? Especially if they aren't prepared for it...
Didn't the US Navy do something like that a few years back? Somali pirates start shooting at US Navy, gets blown out of water, straight to hell?

Devonai · « **Reply #17 on:** April 04, 2008, 12:35:21 PM »

Just give me a letter of marque and $250,000. grin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_of_marque

Bigjake · « **Reply #18 on:** April 04, 2008, 12:59:01 PM »

Quote from: Charby on April 04, 2008, 10:57:30 AM

sink these guys too

I'd deep six those guys pro-bono.

APS privateers on a pirate hunting expedition to the gulf of Aden on a luxury yacht with more crew served goodness than yer average WW2 destroyer. Pyrat rum, Titos vodka, and Beltfeds. We gotta pencil this in as an APS meetup!

RadioFreeSeaLab · « **Reply #19 on:** April 04, 2008, 01:41:01 PM »

I'm so in.

AmbulanceDriver · « **Reply #20 on:** April 04, 2008, 01:42:46 PM »

Quote from: Bigjake on April 04, 2008, 11:59:01 AM

Quote from: Charby on April 04, 2008, 10:57:30 AM

sink these guys too

I'd deep six those guys pro-bono.

APS privateers on a pirate hunting expedition to the gulf of Aden on a luxury yacht with more crew served goodness than yer average WW2 destroyer. Pyrat rum, Titos vodka, and Beltfeds. We gotta pencil this in as an APS meetup!

where do we sign up?

Fly320s · « **Reply #21 on:** April 04, 2008, 02:35:41 PM »

APSers and guns and booze?

We're gonna need a bigger boat.

RadioFreeSeaLab · « **Reply #22 on:** April 04, 2008, 02:36:22 PM »

What if we converted one of your 320s into a gun ship instead?

Fly320s · « **Reply #23 on:** April 04, 2008, 02:41:18 PM »

Fine by me. I'm sure we can duct tape pontoons on to it.

Mabs2 · « **Reply #24 on:** April 04, 2008, 03:11:33 PM »

Quote from: Charby on April 04, 2008, 11:01:32 AM

I case you are wondering what their pirate ship is....

Ok...an RPG, a rifle or two...and a big piece of driftwood? wtf?

News:

Author Topic: Pirates seize French cruise ship (Read 68292 times)