Pirates seize Ukrainian ship off Somalia coast: official

AFP ^ | 25 September 2008 | by Otto Bakano

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NAIROBI (AFP) - Pirates on Thursday seized a Ukrainian cargo ship off the coast of Somalia while it was en route to the Kenyan port of Mombasa, a maritime official told AFP.

The hijackers commandeered the Belize-flagged Faina to a yet unknown location, said Andrew Mwngura who runs the Kenya chapter of the Seafarers Assistance Programme.

"It was sailing from the Baltics and was expected in Mombasa on September 27," he added. "As usual, the pirates were armed on a speedboat when they seized the ship, but we do not know where they have taken it."

Somali pirates often take ships to Eyl, a pirate den in the country's northern breakaway region of Puntland.

Dozens of ships, mainly merchant vessels, have been seized by gangs off Somalia's 3,700-kilometre (2,300-mile) coastline in recent years, despite the presence of Western navies deployed in the region to fight terrorism.

The pirates travel in speedboats and are armed with automatic weapons and rocket-propelled grenades. They sometimes hold ships for weeks until they are released for large ransoms paid by governments or owners.

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Interfax claims that the ship was transporting 30 T-72 tanks.

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[MindBender26]

Who can explain how, if the ship mounted four M-2 .50 machine guns (bow, stern, port side and starboard,) such a speedboat could get within a mile of the ship?

[elpadre]

“Interfax claims that the ship was transporting 30 T-72 tanks”

for Kenya???

[null and void]

But but but that would violate international LAW!!!!

[LtKerst]

Interfax claims that the ship was transporting 30 T-72 tanks”

for Kenya???

Makes sense...Barack Obama supports communist Despot in Kenya..who cut a deal with the islamo-facists..who probably got screwed and now it is retribution time.
it’s all in Jerome Corsi’s book
Obama Nation

[Gamecock]

JERRY: (Pointing out) ..... Some of those heckles were really uncalled for: "Avast ye matey" -
what the hell does that mean?! "20 degrees off the starboard side -
the Spanish Galleon!" - there's no comeback for that!

[Rebelbase]

If they ever get one of these things seaworthy enough to lurk offshore for extended periods they could put a real hurting on the pirate industry.

[CPOSharky]

It’s about time for a combined naval operation on Eyl.

[conservaDave]

Talk like a pirate day was last week.

[swain_forkbeard]

I think this story would make a great movie. But it would have to be rated ‘ARRRRRRRRRRRRR’.

[AmericaUnited]

This Somalia pirate thing is just absurd. If the civilized nations of the world grouped together and ran a protection security escort of several warships for all the ships running through here, these shenanigans would come to an instant stop, and the cost would be minimal.

[elpadre]

As for me - I would hire Blackwater. They know how to get the job done - quickly, effectively, quietly - and at a reasonable cost.

[MindBender26]

Winners, in everything from corporate takeovers, to gunfights, to wars, those winners write the history books.

[SENTINEL]

I'm sorry, but I disagree with your plan.

Thomas Jefferson dealt with the Barbary Pirates with invasion, and burning of their cities. In and out.

Nowadays, I think just turning one aircraft carrier loose for a single day with orders to blow up anything floating, transmitting, or rolling would do the trick. Would take them years to recover.

[Jimmy Valentine]

Finally someone with the correct answer!

I'm talking PEST CONTROL!!

[curiosity]

Happens all the time. Speedboats are small, fast-moving craft, which makes them difficult to see from long distances and hard to hit once you do see them. Plus crewman on cargo ships are usually less skilled at fighting than pirates. Very often pirates have someone on the inside, having planned the job long before the targeted ship even left port.

Piracy is a huge problem in that part of the world.

[arthurus]

Why are crews and ships not armed???? It doesn’t take cannons these days.A .50 BMG would probably be quite sufficient and a couple of shotguns if they get on board.

[MindBender26]

Was problem in SEA for a while. Private security services were put aboard ships. 4 men to a ship. They worked 6 on, 6 off while in dangerous waters. One would watch radar, other would watch water from high point on ship (traditional lookout)

Visual observer would use combination thermal/light amplification viewer at night. Thermal would see boat easily, as would starlight scope see bow and stern wakes, especially the phosphorescent kind.

Their favorite weapon was the Glock 18. Fully automatic 9mm pea shooter.

Imagine what you could so with a Ma Duce, or even an M-60.