American crew regains control of pirated ship

CBS NEWS ^ | 04/08/09 | Me

[Robe]

Breaking. Per CBS radio news.. the crew has regained control of the ship throwing three pirates overboard and capturing one.. Will post more.. Breaking

[Eye of Unk]

“None transparent” sounds like a one shot, one kill order.

[andrew2527]

LOL! Perfect post! That is a great mental image!

[HollyB]

The media just announced that we are not to refer to them as pirates, but as ‘private maritime enterpreneurs’. lol

/s

[hoosiermama]

Discussion followed (commentators)whether they would use divers or a sub? If the ship had helicopters or other radar type planes to keep them in sight.

I question whether the life raft has any type of motor or if they were just floating with the current???? They apparently were offered food and water and it sounded like they turned it down.....

[HiTech RedNeck]

With amphibious guns obviously. I’ve never seen an amphibious gun in all the “gun porn” that has appeared on FR.

[El Gato]

Yeah, right, Cadet. Like we've never heard that one before...

This a maritime thing, so they'd be Midshipmen, aka Middies, aka Snotties.

[Eye of Unk]

I doubt that saying anything here would adversely affect the ongoing situation I will make this projection.

SEALS can do a HALO insertion or come in on surface a distance away and use silent sleds, they very much do have weapons that can be carried underwater, just because we don’t see it as gun porn does not mean they don’t exist.

They do, and with a little research we puter jocks can see what the latest is.

[SunkenCiv]

Too bad keelhauling is out of style.

[HollyB]

Anyone know how the details of how the American’s took the ship back without weapons. They are a tough group and I’m really proud to see them fight back against these pirates. Now to get the captain. Prayers up for him.

[Eye of Unk]

From what I heard the crew hid in concealed places in the engine room, the pirates searched for hours and could not find them, we have yet to hear the details but I am thinking that the crew may have set up a trap of securing watertight doors to separate each pirate and then eventually finding a way to disarm each one, myself I would have done such a thing and then manned the station for the pumps and start pumping water into these sealed areas. They either drown or surrender.

[HiTech RedNeck]

True, and depends on time of day and weather. Obviously the crew reported what the pirates have for visual equipment. What the pirates can’t see can’t hurt the little darlings... till it’s too late.

[hoosiermama]

Does the life boat they are in have any device to propel or steer it?

[HollyB]

Thanks for the info Eye. Quite an interesting trap idea. Didn’t even know such a thing existed, but then I’m not very knowledgeable in the area of ships. If you hear more, give us a heads up.

[HiTech RedNeck]

I’d guess all it has is an anchor. Can stay put, or drift.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Now if the pirates can radio or signal for MORE pirates, that would be an interesting scenario. They’re jihaders, they don’t care if they die in battle with an infidel, they get their 70 virgins. So probably not too afraid of meeting up with SEALs. If they can get this captain spirited onto land somehow, they presumably would. They would dearly love to give Obama the Jimmy Carter treatment.

[HiTech RedNeck]

So, about where the lifeboat actually may be... don’t ask, and if you hear don’t tell.

[HiTech RedNeck]

To any pirates listening on this thread: if you DO give Obama the Jimmy Carter treatment, you can be damned sure the next president is going to be a very hawkish Republican and will beat your country’s nose bloody. Allah won’t like you for that one bit and will send you to hell.

[El Gato]

We put those things, Mk38 Bushmasters, on support ships too, not just destroyers, including those operated by the Military Sealift command with civilian crews. (but military to man the weapons).

IMO, we should mount them on every US flagged Merchant ship as well. With a Navy Armed Guard detachment to man them.

It's been done before. My uncle served in the NAG on the Liberty Ship SS William Clark. He survived the war, although the Clark did not survive what I think was her second voyage after being launched. U-boat got her.

There is a Clark, well actually a " USNS Lewis and Clark" operating today. (The Lewis was a sister ship to the Clark). She is the lead ship of her class of dry cargo underway replenishment ships, T-AKE-1.

I think my Uncle L would approve. Or then again maybe not, he could be very contrary. :) According to some sources, the "Lewis and Clark" class is armed with 2-6 M2 Machine guns and/or 7.62 medium machine guns.

[Moose4]

Sounds like they may have gotten lucky and nabbed one pirate, and then drug him off to some engineering space where they all hid for an extended period. That thing’s almost 800 feet long, three or four pirates could search for days and never find a group that knows the good hiding places.

As folks upthread have said, it’s not exactly optimal, but there are a fair number of improvisable weapons onboard a ship like that—fire axes, tools, lots of big heavy things.

}:-)4

[plain talk]

I guess I don’t understand why the small pirate boat wasn’t blown out of the water as it approached the ship.