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| Africa Horn |
| Pirates use 'decoy' tactics to capture LPG tanker |
| 2009-01-29 |
| SOMALIAN pirates today captured a German-owned LPG tanker participating in a convoy through the Gulf of Aden Maritime Security Patrol Area, diverting Chinese and Indian warships with a decoy raid to enable colleagues to seize a small ship with low freeboard. LPG blows up real good... The pirates' latest victim is the 1990-built, 4,316 dwt Longchamp, operated by Hamburg-based Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement, with 12 Filipinos and one Indonesian national onboard. The attack took place in the early hours of this morning while the ship was within the MPSA under military protection, said Schulte quality and safety manager Frank Lesse. "There were apparently three ships attacked, which diverted the attention of the warships, and unfortunately the ship that was taken hostage by the pirates was the Longchamp." Now they're even taking on convoys? "The Indian warship tried to repel the attack but was too late. [Longchamp] is a small LPG with a low freeboard, so she is easy to board. The pirates picked her, went on board, and the other pirates vacated the scene. "The Indian warship kept a safe distance, so as not to aggravate the pirates. Then the ship turned hard to starboard and went straight for the Somali coast." The master was allowed to contact the company's emergency centre to make a brief statement, and reported that seven pirates were on the ship. The assumption from this is that none of the crew were hurt. Schulte was at the time of writing still able to track Longchamp, although there had been no further contact with the crew. The Bahamas-flag vessel is the third ship to be captured off Somalia this year. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #4 Hope the pirates keep it offshore. Accidents do happen. |
| Posted by: Skunky Glins 5*** 2009-01-29 20:59 |
| #3 I thought things were suddenly gonna be different now that the Chinese are involved? Now the pirates have a massive potential FAE bomb to use as a weapon. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2009-01-29 18:27 |
| #2 Another report I read had gunshots over the radio... |
| Posted by: Seafarious 2009-01-29 13:50 |
| #1 Someone give them access to wiki? |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2009-01-29 13:43 |