Somalia Summary: Forty two incidents have been reported since March 15 2005. Recently reported incidents
May 05 2006 at 0345 LT at Chittagong anchorage B, Bangladesh. Two unlit boats approached a container ship. One boat with 10 persons armed with long knives came close and one robber boarded using grappling hook. Alert crew raised alarm and the robber escaped.
May 04 2006 at 0120 LT in posn 01:23.5N - 104:27.0E, off Horsburgh lighthouse, Singapore straits. A speedboat with five pirates on board fired upon a bulk carrier underway. Deck Officer raised alarm; crew mustered, switched on deck lights and secured doors. Four heavily armed pirates boarded, broke open bridge door and tied up the crew and threatened to kill them. Pirates stole shipÂ’s cash, equipment and valuables and cash from crew and escaped.
May 02 2006 at 1030 LT in position 09:13.1N - 014:06.2W, off Conakry, Guinea. A chemical tanker drifting 25 nm off the port received a VHF call by someone claiming to be from Conakry Port. Caller asked the ship to rig the pilot ladder as the pilot was on the way. Soon after Deck Officer noticed a grey boat with five persons being launched by a mother fishing vessel nearby. Persons in the boat were armed with automatic weapons and wore life jackets. They pretended to be officials and demanded pilot ladder to be lowered. As the ship was not expecting to berth until following day, Master raised alarm and crew activated fire hoses. After following for some time boat returned to the mother ship. Master reported the incident to port authorities.
May 01 2006 at 1140 UTC in position: 03:13N - 108:45E, Kumpulan Natuna islands, Indonesia. Persons in several unlit boats followed a tanker underway and came close to her stern. Crew mustered, switched on deck lights and activated fire hoses. Boats aborted chase and moved away.
And from the Better Late Than Never Desk...
April 28 2006 around noon at Islas de Piritu anchorage, off Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela. Five armed robbers boarded a sailing yacht and shot the only sailor onboard. He was injured in his stomach but escaped in a dinghy. He was operated in a hospital and one of his kidneys needed removal.
April 27 2006, off Barawe, SW of Mogadishu, Somalia. Pirates hijacked a UAE flagged ship underway. They took hostage all crewmembers and forced her to sail to Harardhere. Pirates shot dead one crewmember and two others were seriously injured. The ship was released after a ransom was paid.
April 22 2006 en route from Belawan port to Batu Licin, Banjarmasin, Indonesia. A tug towing an empty barge departed Belawan on April 13 2006. Last known position on April 22 2006 was 02:07S - 108:47E. The tug/barge and 12 crewmembers are still missing and they are believed to be hijacked.