There are those who talk about taking action, and there are men who take action.
Good job to all of the crew!
Here’s what the “FISHERMEN” have been up to:
Entire Article:
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hSeKFjZIVozCnvC0NSHQ42elvbfQ
Among attacks over the past few days, Somali pirates hijacked a British-owned cargo ship, a German container carrier, a Taiwanese fishing boat, a Yemeni tugboat and a small French yacht with a three-year-old boy on board.
“Despite increased naval presence in the region, ships and aircraft are unlikely to be close enough to provide support to vessels under attack. The scope and magnitude of problem can not be understated,” the statement said.
It said the area involved covers an area roughly four times the size of Texas — or the size of the Mediterranean and Red Seas combined.
But despite successful recent attacks, it said “merchant mariners have proven successes as first line defenders against pirates” with some having used “evasive manoeuvring and other defensive measures to protect their ships and their cargoes.”
Some crew members had turned fire hoses on their attackers, fired flares at them or rigged barbed wire along the sides of the ship to prevent the pirates from boarding.
More than 130 attacks, including nearly 50 which were successful, were reported in 2008. Most were in the Gulf of Aden, where 16,000 ships enter and exit the Red Sea each year on one of the world’s busiest maritime trade routes.
At least 18 ships and more than 250 hostages are now in pirate hands.
Despite the recent upsurge in hijackings, the number of attacks and their success rate has declined slightly since the start of the year, which is due to unfavourable sea conditions and an increased foreign naval presence in the Gulf.
Yes, I agree, but did they violate anyone’s rights in taking back the ship? Was there any torture involved?
This may be a case that needs to be referred to the World Court at The Hague.