British Tanker Hijacked

Sky News ^ | 19:42 UK, Sunday August 11, 2002 | Sky News

[colette_g]

There are reports a British-registered tanker has been hijacked off the coast of Somalia.

Reuters news agency said the Somali hijackers were demanding $1m for the release of the Russian crew.

Britain's Foreign Office could not confirm the reports.

Helicopter

A spokesman said the a British frigate had dispatched a helicopter to find the ship, but nothing was seen.

The tanker was hijacked about two weeks ago and its crew taken ashore to a location in Alula district on Somalia's north-eastern coast, the militiaman told Reuters.

"The ship was registered in Britain," one of the militiamen told the agency.

Dangerous waters

He said the ship, which was carrying fuel from Dubai to South Africa, had been moored in a natural harbour about 30 miles away from Alula's main settlement.

One eyewitness said he saw the tanker's captain being held in a house.

Somalia's waters are considered to be among the most dangerous in the world - piracy is relatively common.

[Grampa Dave]

This is a Russian problem. They have spec ops guys who can handle this.

One can only hope that Iran/Iraq and Syria have sponsored this hijacking of a ship.

Time for Putin to clear out some dirty tie ins with the Islamakazi nations. The Islamakazis have been killing Russians and interferring with their economy for a long time.

Putin and his fellow Russians need realize that the Islamakazi nations are not friends. Hopefully, this will serve as a wake up call to sever relations with all Islamakazi controlled Nations.

[Squantos]

Guess I'm older than I like to think then.......Stay Safe !

[Shooter 2.5]

Bubba screwed it up last time, let's see how his buddy, Tony deals with it.

[Mark17]

I don't think the Russians will treat the pirates too nicely.

I heard in the past, they just start sending body parts of relatives to these people. I don't know how true it is, but the Soviets could be quite ruthless. I wonder how they will react now?

[Saturnalia]

Bets on which spec ops team is sent in to make the pirates walk the plank?

We Have:
1. SAS
2. SPETSNAZ
3. Drunk Vikings in search of plunder

[Principled]

I heard in the past, they just start sending body parts of relatives to these people.

Euuuuuuwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww....

[steveo]

My 12-year old daughter wanted to go see a pirate movie with her friends but I wouldn't let her because it was rated arrrragh!

[putupon]

Transporting oil from ANWR would be safer.

[Principled]

That's so old, the first time I heard it I fell off my dinosaur.... 0)

[CyberAnt]

No, I don't think they will!!

Their previous dealings with hijackers is not a pretty story. Evidently the Russians took the family members of the hijackers and then killed one of them and cut him into little pieces. Several of the pieces were delivered to the hijackers - with the message that this was only the beginning - with each passing day, another member of the "family" would be dismembered.

Amazingly, the hijackers released all the people immediately. And ... from what I know - NOBODY ever hijacks anything that belongs to the Russians.

However, this ship belongs to the British, even though the crew is from Russia. What the Russians will do in this situation I don't know.

[oyez]

Matchbook cover. Then there was a cover that invited you to "Learn Law." I wonder how many attornies would credit their entry into the legal field to a matchbook?

[HoustonCurmudgeon]

Send in the SEALs.

If it's a British ship why SEALs? The SAS can do the job.

[johnb838]

Oh yeah -- that was back in the day when white people were the slaves. (And why historical black slavery doesn't bring too many tears to my eyes)

[norraad]

Pirate stompin', what could be more fun than that?

It could be rather easy & inexpensive too!

Even better!

..& what a moral builder!

[F16Fighter]

"One can only hope that Iran/Iraq and Syria have sponsored this hijacking of a ship.

For some reason, the words "hijack" and "middle east" seem conjoined.

[earplug]

British ship. Russian crew. Send in the SAS or the Russians. Our men should be left out of this.

[mlibertarianj]

A YO HO HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM, BUMP!

[hchutch]

This was one of Her Majesty's ships.

Methinks the SAS will be en route.

[Principled]

Maybe the Brits will see why we need to get these guys. Seems they're hesitating.

[hoosierham]

I, for one, have NEVER understood while we as a nation think it is "cute" for children to dress up as pirates, go to movies and root for the pirates vs. the king's men , etc.

Pirates =murderers, rapists, robbers,thieves of the worst kind; the proper end for these pirates is feeding the carrion birds while dangling from a dockside crane arm.