You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
India-Pakistan
Indian Navy repulses attack on ship off Somalia, captures 23 pirates
2008-12-13
NEW DELHI: In another successful anti-piracy operation, Navy warship on Saturday repulsed an attack on a merchant vessel in the Gulf of Aden and nabbed 23 Somali and Yemeni sea brigands, in a show of resolve to weed out the menace that affected maritime trade in the region.

The pirates on two speed boats had surrounded the merchant vessel flying the Ethiopian flag around noon, when INS Mysore warship intervened and warded off the attack, Navy spokesperson said here.

The pirates had fired at the merchant vessel with their small arms, when it sent out a rescue call and the Indian warship, which was sailing nearby moved its Marine Commandos on an helicopter to help the distressed cargo vessel, he said.

The attack took place about 150 nautical miles off Aden and INS Mysore was about 13 nautical miles away from the merchant vessel when it picked up the SOS call. The Navy flew its Marine Commandos on helicopters to the scene of the pirate attack and rescued the ship. MV Gibe was later escorted to safety, he added.

The Naval commandos also boarded the pirates' boats and seized seven AK-47 assault rifles, two other rifles, a grenade launcher and 13 fully loaded magazines of ammunition from the 12 Somali and 11 Yemeni pirates on board the two pirate boats. Further search for other pirates, who fled from the spot following the Indian Naval intervention, was in progress, the spokesperson said.

Last month, Navy warship INS Tabar, a missile-frigate, had sunk a mothership of the pirates and had also rescued two merchant vessels that were under attack from the sea brigands.
Posted by:john frum

#18  They are simple but well-armed

Not but, albeit, dangit, albeit.
Posted by: .5MT   2008-12-13 18:46  

#17  INS Mysore was about 13 nautical miles away from the merchant vessel when it picked up the SOS call.

Shadowing just over the horizon. Purely by accident.
Posted by: mojo   2008-12-13 15:30  

#16  "put life jackets on the pirates and drop them back into the water."

Pansy. Chum the waters first.
Gotta respect the cycle of life.
Posted by: Bertie Elmaick7272   2008-12-13 15:00  

#15  

That hangar looks big enough to handle any method of execution but I doubt drumhead trials are still legal.
Posted by: john frum   2008-12-13 14:59  

#14  Forgot to add:

Bravo to India for being there on the job when western nations falter.
Posted by: OldSpook   2008-12-13 14:57  

#13  This is what caught my eye:

MV Gibe opened retaliatory fire with small arms that were held onboard the vesse

I wonder who was firing those small arms. Probably not your average Filipino merchant deck hand.
Posted by: OldSpook   2008-12-13 14:55  

#12  Drumhead trial. Yardarm punishment (use one of the davits on the side fo that fine looking ship). Burial at sea.

I believe international law allows for it.
Posted by: OldSpook   2008-12-13 14:53  

#11  That will get you an arrest warrant and a free flight to the Hague.
Posted by: john frum   2008-12-13 14:42  

#10  It seems to me that the least messy thing to do would be to put life jackets on the pirates and drop them back into the water. If they get back to shore, good for them. If not...
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2008-12-13 14:36  

#9  Nice looking ship, the INS Mysore. And a nice looking ship, all neat and businesslike indicates a good captain and crew.

I know the sickening limitations of so-called international law and all, but these pirates needed a summary military tribunal and an execution on the Dhow, then the dhow sunk. I think that Blackwater-type operations are more cost effective here. The expense of running convoy duty and patrols will be many times the ransoms the pirates get. Think swift, hard justice.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2008-12-13 13:59  

#8  They are simple but well-armed Somali fisherman, engaged in traditional marine activities. Why on earth are the Indians fussing so?

/Thank you, India!
Posted by: trailing wife   2008-12-13 13:33  

#7  The Mysore needs a shipalt to install a Mk 1 Mod 0 yardarm for hanging these MFs.
Posted by: Penguin   2008-12-13 13:00  

#6  Who are the 'appropriate authorities ashore' who will receive custody of these men? Somalian or Yemeni police? The what? Anything from summary execution to immediate release and a new boat?
Posted by: Glenmore   2008-12-13 12:54  

#5  Thanks for the pics, John. Warms the heart!
Posted by: Steve White   2008-12-13 12:35  

#4  photo 2
Posted by: john frum   2008-12-13 11:40  

#3  photo of vessel being boarded
Posted by: john frum   2008-12-13 11:36  

#2  Press Release from Indian Ministry of Defense

INS Mysore is currently in the Gulf of Aden for Anti-Piracy Patrol Operations which are being conducted under the control of the Western Naval Command. Whilst escorting merchant vessels in the Gulf of Aden, the ship received a distress call on MMB Channel 16 from MV Gibe (Ethiopian Flag) at about 1100 hours on 13 Dec 08. MV Gibe reported that she was under attack by two boats closing her and firing small arms. MV Gibe opened retaliatory fire with small arms that were held onboard the vessel. The position reported by the merchant vessel was 13 nautical miles from Mysore at that time. The ship altered course to close MV Gibe and also launched her integral armed helicopter.

On sighting the helicopter and Mysore, the boats disengaged from MV Gibe and attempted escape. Mysore closed the vessels and ordered them to stop. The larger boat was a dhow was of green colour and 8-10m in length. It had taken the second smaller boat (a skiff) under tow. Subsequently, the name of the dhow was identified as 'Salahaddin', Hull No 758(2).

The dhow was boarded at 1230h by the ship's Marine Commandos and a search carried out. 23 personnel (12 Somali and 11 Yemeni) surrendered on boarding. The search of dhow revealed a substantial cache of arms and equipment, including seven AK-47 and three other automatic rifles, along with thirteen loaded magazines; a rocket-propelled grenade-launcher along with rockets, cartridges and grenades; as many as three Outboard Motors (OBMs), a GPS Receiver, etcetera.

The personnel, arms, ammunition and equipment have been taken into custody by INS Mysore and will be handed over to appropriate authorities ashore and the ship will return to her patrol-duties.
Posted by: john frum   2008-12-13 11:31  

#1  The Mysore

Posted by: john frum   2008-12-13 11:28  

00:00