Miami-Based Cruise Ship Attacked by Pirates off Somalian Coast

AP ^ | 11/05/05

[Pokey78]

MIAMI (AP) - Pirates fired a rocket-propelled grenade and machine guns Saturday in an attack on a luxury cruise liner off the east African coast, the vessel's owners said.

Two armed boats approached the Seabourn Spirit about 100 miles off the coast of Somalia and fired as the boats' occupants attempted to get onboard, said Bruce Good, a spokesman for Miami-based Seabourn Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corp.

The crew initiated a trained response and avoided being boarded, Good said. The ship outran them and changed its course.

"Our suspicion at this time is that the motive was theft," Good said.

One member of the 161-person crew was slightly injured before the attackers were repelled, according to a London-based Seabourn Cruises spokesman.

Press Association, the British news agency, said passengers awoke to the sound of gunfire as two 25-foot inflatable boats approached the liner. The injured crew member was reportedly hit by flying debris.

The vessel's 151 passengers, mostly Americans with some Australians and Europeans, were gathered in a lounge for their safety, Good said. None were injured.

The Spirit had been bound for Mombasa, Kenya, at the end of a 16-day voyage from Alexandria, Egypt. It was expected to reach the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean later Saturday, and then continue on its previous schedule to Singapore, Good said.

The 10,000-ton cruise ship, registered in the Bahamas, sustained minor damage, Good said. "They took some fire, but it's safe to sail," he said.

[LikeLight]

We Americans have a hard time comprehending that things we thought were consigned to the history books, things like piracy, slavery, child labor and indentured servitude, are thriving enterprises in many parts of the world.

[Phsstpok]

Looks like a relatively impressive small cruise ship.

208 passengers, 160 crew, tonnage = 10,000, 6 decks. It's ultra luxury, all suites and VERY EXPENSIVE.

Overall review is available here:

http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=90

Zodiacs could probably outdo them in a sprint, but the cruise ship would definitely outlast anything small. So long as they didn't suffer a crippling hit they should be OK.

This was probably straight robbery. Kind of like the old "Assault on a Queen" movie with Frank Sinatra. His plot was better, though.

[robertpaulsen]

An even better idea:

Gotta have the original, 1-pound, skull-piercing tips. All you have to do is show the pirates the box and they'll flee screaming, "Those are even banned in the U.S. where they allow guns!"

[Cuttnhorse]

LOL! Great...it's getting pretty bad when so many things witnessed in life can ultimately be related to a Seinfeld episode.

[attiladhun2]

I understand one or two had peg legs and eye patches. The expression "aaarrrrr!" was frequently heard before each command was given, e.g., "Aaaaarrrr! Give 'em a broard side, mateys." Climbing up the sides of the vessel with daggers between the teeth was another indication. Oh yeah, thar be pirates in them thar waters, matey. Aaaaaarrrrrr!

[R.W.Ratikal]

We ahve had this problem before. Send in the Navy.

[caryatid]

... no crew member on that ship is allowed to carry any weapons ...

The crew initiated a trained response and avoided being boarded ...

They better change the rules and allow the crew to have weapons ... or stop going into those waters where these perils are known to exist. Wake up, America ... this is war.

[kenth]

hmmm... which do I choose, the Alaskan or Somalian cruise....

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

BUT I DON'T WANNA BE A PIRATE!

[Indy Pendance]

What's My Pirate Name?

Bloody Jenny Vane

[R.W.Ratikal]

A Q ship is a regular tramp steamer or merchant cargo ship flying a neutral flag and with false decking and deck houses behind which are mounted 5-inch guns and machine guns. At the sight of the pirates the false sides are dropped and the pirates are blasted out of the water.

The Germans used them very effectively during WWII.

[R.W.Ratikal]

A Q ship is a regular tramp steamer or merchant cargo ship flying a neutral flag and with false decking and deck houses behind which are mounted 5-inch guns and machine guns. At the sight of the pirates the false sides are dropped and the pirates are blasted out of the water.

The Germans used them very effectively during WWII.

[Chode]

please... and have Greenpeace after them??? they have a better chance with the pirates!!! 8^)

[R.W.Ratikal]

A Q ship is a regular tramp steamer or merchant cargo ship flying a neutral flag and with false decking and deck houses behind which are mounted 5-inch guns and machine guns. At the sight of the pirates the false sides are dropped and the pirates are blasted out of the water.

The Germans used them very effectively during WWII.

[R.W.Ratikal]

A Q ship is a regular tramp steamer or merchant cargo ship flying a neutral flag and with false decking and deck houses behind which are mounted 5-inch guns and machine guns. At the sight of the pirates the false sides are dropped and the pirates are blasted out of the water.

The Germans used them very effectively during WWII.

[dervish]

My thoughts too.

Doesn't it seem that every Islamic attack on America/Americans is carefully labelled something else:

OU Bomb = "suicide"
LA Airport gunman = "despondent"
"Mr Williams" aka Mohammed = skinhead

Per Marc Steyn

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/core/Content/displayPrintable.jhtml?xml=/opinion/2002/10/27/do2705.xml&site=15

[R.W.Ratikal]

A Q ship is a regular tramp steamer or merchant cargo ship flying a neutral flag and with false decking and deck houses behind which are mounted 5-inch guns and machine guns. At the sight of the pirates the false sides are dropped and the pirates are blasted out of the water.

The Germans used them very effectively during WWII.

[R.W.Ratikal]

A Q ship is a regular tramp steamer or merchant cargo ship flying a neutral flag and with false decking and deck houses behind which are mounted 5-inch guns and machine guns. At the sight of the pirates the false sides are dropped and the pirates are blasted out of the water.

The Germans used them very effectively during WWII.

[Xenophon450]

HEY HEY HEY ALL OF YOU STOP!!! Didn't you hear? Islam is now the religion of Love AND Peace, I mean Love and peace??? They would NEVER DO THAT!!!

[R.W.Ratikal]

A Q ship is a regular tramp steamer or merchant cargo ship flying a neutral flag and with false decking and deck houses behind which are mounted 5-inch guns and machine guns. At the sight of the pirates the false sides are droped and the pirates are blasted out of the water.

The Germans used them very effectively during WWII.